Gage Marek

About Gage Marek

I am a senior energy systems leader with over a decade of experience guiding the reliable operation, modernization, and market integration of large-scale electric power systems across the western United States.I currently serve as Principal Transmission & Distribution Specialist at PacifiCorp, where I act as a senior technical and strategic advisor on grid reliability risk, protection strategy, and Remedial Action Scheme (RAS) performance for critical transmission infrastructure. My role focuses on identifying systemic risk, shaping protection and operational policy, and supporting executive decision-making during high-impact system events.Previously, I served as Director of Transmission Operations at Bonneville Power Administration, providing executive leadership for operational engineering and market-facing programs supporting the federal Columbia River Power System. In this capacity, I led multidisciplinary teams responsible for real-time system operations, Automatic Generation Control (AGC), Available Transfer Capability (ATC), Remedial Action Schemes, operational power system studies, and renewable integration initiatives.My experience sits at the intersection of engineering, markets, and regulation. I have led implementation of FERC Order 881, evaluated participation in organized wholesale energy markets (including CAISO EDAM and SPP Markets+), supported tariff proceedings, and contributed to cross-border transmission coordination and regional reliability policy through WECC leadership roles.I am particularly effective in environments that require:• Ownership of operational and market risk at scale• Leadership through system stress, uncertainty, and transition• Translation between technical teams, executives, regulators, and external stakeholders• Deployment of advanced analytics, automation, and operational frameworks to improve reliability and commercial outcomesI am motivated by opportunities where deep grid operations expertise, strategic leadership, and market fluency can be leveraged to drive system performance, reliability, and long-term value creation beyond traditional utility boundaries.

Experience

1. PacifiCorp

   Present

Education

• Oregon Institute of Technology

  Master’s Degree, Renewable Energy Engineering

  2015 — 2017

• John Carroll University

  Bachelor of Science (BS), Engineering Physics

  2011 — 2015

• John Carroll University

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Engineering Physics