Brian Rahman is ZGlobal’s Senior Vice President of Power Engineering and Markets, with more than three decades of experience across electrical engineering, market system management, operations, technology implementation, and project coordination in a wide range of utility and energy-related disciplines.
Brian brings a comprehensive understanding of utility and power system operations, both functional and financial. His experience includes hydroelectric generation and control area operations, financial analysis of transmission and generation assets, implementation of large-scale infrastructure projects, and renewable energy integration.
Brian has served as an expert witness on multiple occasions, presenting factual and technical testimony in support of utility customers, project developers, and the California Independent System Operator (CAISO). With deep expertise in project and program management, he served as Program Manager for the $100 million CAISO nodal market implementation, demonstrating leadership in managing complex market design initiatives and the deployment of processes, technology, and organizational change.
At ZGlobal, Brian and his team of engineers perform a broad range of engineering analyses for transmission, distribution, and generation facilities. Services include transmission and distribution planning, reactive power studies, short-circuit studies, system impact studies, and facility studies. Brian also has extensive experience providing technical testimony at both the federal and state levels, supporting reviews of proposed utility transmission lines and substations.
Brian directs ZGlobal’s engineering team in providing technical services for Generator Interconnection Requests, including engineering design and coordination with equipment manufacturers to obtain required technical data such as steam turbine, governor, generator, excitation system, power system stabilizer, step-up transformer, and short-circuit impedance information. His responsibilities also include selection of points of interconnection, development of site maps and single-line diagrams, preparation of power flow and dynamic stability models, and coordination with internal clients, external engineering design firms, and Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractors throughout the design and construction phases of projects.
Recent Accomplishments
- Expert Witness – Aera Energy (Bakersfield, CA)
Provided expert witness testimony regarding the viability of interconnecting a 2,000 MW solar PV project, including detailed reliability and interconnection analyses (Document No. 1100088718). - Expert Witness – Tesoro Refinery (Martinez, CA)
Provided expert witness testimony supporting the reliability of an 80 MW load before the United States District Court, Northern District of California (San Francisco Division), including detailed reliability and interconnection analyses (Case No. 14-CIV-00930 (JCS)). - California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) – Ocean Ranch Substation
Conducted an independent assessment and developed proposed alternatives to the Ocean Ranch Substation project in the SDG&E service area. The proposed project was eliminated in favor of an environmentally superior alternative. - Arc Flash Studies and System Resiliency Analysis – U.S. Air Force Bases
Led grid reliability, arc flash, and system resiliency analyses for multiple U.S. Air Force installations in California, Nevada, and Maryland. Directed detailed modeling of electric distribution and transmission systems, including substations, flight lines, load centers, and points of supply, to support critical facility requirements. - Generator Interconnection Process, Project Specifications, and Technical Requirements
Led and supported hundreds of generation and energy storage interconnection applications across the western United States, including NV Energy, CAISO, PG&E, SCE, SDG&E, IID, APS, PJM, and PNM. Services included preliminary technical specifications, development of single-line diagrams and site maps, complex dynamic modeling, power flow and system capacity assessments, due diligence for point-of-interconnection selection, guidance throughout the interconnection study process, and negotiation of interconnection agreements. Project technologies included natural gas, hydroelectric, pumped storage, wind, solar PV, energy storage, geothermal, and emerging technologies. - Annual Review of Southern California Edison Transmission Capital Projects – CPUC
Served as Principal Engineer for CPUC-requested annual reviews of SCE transmission capital projects exceeding $50 million. Responsibilities included power flow analysis, validation of project need, evaluation of alternatives, and coordination with CPUC, SCE, PG&E, and SDG&E. Several projects were deferred or canceled based on these assessments, resulting in cost savings for utility ratepayers. - Deliverability Assessment – Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project (TRTP)
Performed detailed deliverability assessments for existing and proposed wind and solar generation projects in the Tehachapi region impacted by TRTP construction. Analyses incorporated production cost simulations and power flow modeling to evaluate both market pricing impacts and physical system constraints, supporting financing and mitigation planning. - California Department of Water Resources – CA Water Fix Project
Served as Consulting Manager overseeing development of GE-PSLF dynamic models for Tunnel Boring Machines to support system impact studies and dynamic simulations by SMUD and WAPA. Provided guidance to CDWR management throughout the study process and evaluated results and recommendations to support early-phase project planning.
Education
Brian holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Washington State University and is a licensed Professional Electrical Engineer in the State of California (License No. E14914).