Electric Distribution Grid Planning Intern - Rotational Program

Job Summary

Dominion Energy’s Electric Distribution Grid Planning organization is seeking a summer intern to join our Rotational Program. Over the course of the summer, the intern will rotate through four Electric Distribution teams (Network Planning, Power Quality, Data Center Grid Planning, and Protection Engineering) to gain hands-on exposure to how the distribution system is planned, protected, and operated to serve customers safely and reliably today and in the future. Under the guidance of experienced engineers, the intern will use engineering analysis, system models, and field and customer data to support real projects, and will present their work to the team at the end of each rotation.

The intern will complete four rotations, each focused on a different part of the electric distribution system:

Power Quality: Gain exposure to power quality investigations, continuous compliance testing, monitoring equipment installation, and Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) inquiries, along with customer interactions and collaboration across Dominion Energy organizations.

Data Center Grid Planning: Learn how large data center load requests are evaluated, planned, and integrated into the distribution system, from initial load request through preliminary system solutions.

Protection Engineering: Learn how the distribution system is protected from faults and abnormal conditions, including protection coordination, fault analysis, and protection settings for relays, reclosers, and fuses.

Network Planning: Learn how the underground distribution low voltage network is studied to evaluate equipment loading, capacity, voltage, and reliability, and how future needs from load growth and new customer loads are identified.

Intern responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Gain an understanding of the electric distribution system, including the purpose of substations, transformers, feeders/circuits, cables, and protective devices.
  Use power system modeling and planning tools such as Synergi, DLTA, DMI, and CYME, along with other software platforms, to evaluate system conditions under the guidance of an engineer.
• Assist with basic planning analyses and capacity reviews of existing network areas and data center projects, examining equipment loading, voltage, reliability, and future load growth.
• Participate in power quality investigations, including reviewing monitor locations and connectivity information and learning about PQ, RFI, and EMF monitoring and detection equipment.
• Learn the fundamentals of protection and device coordination, including fault types, time-current curves, and protection settings, and review a recent protection event or misoperation.
• Work with internal and external stakeholders and participate in team meetings and investigations to understand how engineering, planning, operations, and field teams collaborate.
• Document observations, assumptions, and results of assigned analyses.
• Complete a deliverable for each rotation and present key observations and lessons learned to the team at the end of the summer.

Intern Deliverable

With guidance from an engineers and direct leaders from each rotation, the intern will complete a basic review of a selected area, project, or circuit within that team’s focus. For example, an underground network area, existing power quality monitor locations, a data center project, or a distribution protection scheme for a circuit. The review may include identifying major system components and protective devices, reviewing available loading, system, model, and fault current information, confirming connectivity details such as the protective device, circuit, and substation, and documenting observations about how the system is planned, monitored, protected, and evaluated. By the end of each rotation, the intern should be able to explain the process they reviewed and summarize their analysis, key observations, and lessons learned in a brief presentation to the team.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities & Experience

The knowledge, skills, abilities and experience required for entry into this internship include the following:

• No prior work experience required. Prior internship, co-op, or relevant project experience is a plus.
• Experience or coursework in power systems analysis is a plus but not required.
• Knowledge and application of engineering theories, principles, concepts, and fundamentals.
• Ability to perform engineering calculations using applicable software programs (e.g., Matlab, Excel, etc.).
• Ability to think analytically and solve complex problems.
• Effective oral and written communication skills (including technical writing and presenting).
• Planning, organizational, and time management skills, with the ability to process information quickly and manage multiple tasks.
• Willingness to learn new software tools and engineering concepts.
• Equally effective working independently or in a team environment.

Education Requirements

To be considered for this internship, candidates must be currently enrolled in a ABET accredited bachelor’s or master's degree program in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.

Must be graduating in Fall 2028 or later.

Must have a 3.0 GPA or above.

Licenses, Certifications, or Quals Description

No licenses, certifications, or qualifications are required, but holding one is a plus.

Working Conditions

Test Description