Tracy Toups

About Tracy Toups

Licensed engineer and associate professor having demonstrated a history of working as a…

Experience

1. Senior Engineer (Protection)

   Turlock Irrigation District

   Jul 2023 — Present · Turlock, CA, US

   Senior engineer in power system protection at TID. I am in charge of all protection related responsibilities of the TID electrical power grid including distribution, transmission, substation, and generation. Additionally, I help mentor and train new electrical engineers entering the workforce at TID. I participate in capital projects both new construction and refresh. Currently we have a capital project list of several new BES substations and transmission lines, RTU/relay replacements at older substation infrastructures. Along with capital projects, I am working on updating TID\'s protection schemes such as DTT upgrades, breaker failure schemes, line differentials on older sections of the power grid.On the generation side, we are rebuilding our main large hydro plant (Don Pedro) with four new generation units and turbines in which I am involved with the protection design and commission side. Additionally, I helped commission and troubleshoot small gas turbine installations.I am the subject matter expert when system disturbances or unforeseen events occur. Such events that I have analyzed and came up with the accurate description/solutions are, double lightning strikes fault events, POTT scheme mis-operations, failed Basler exciter unit, Generation negative sequence tripping, Load rejection from line outages, small gas turbine.Most of all, I enjoy mentoring and helping new engineers learn and grow. This comes from being a professor for nine years, I have been told by my former students and engineering colleagues that I am very good at explaining complex topics in simpler form, showing the broad scope of the power system, and then diving deep into specific topics needed at hand. Being a mentor also entails helping people with career growth, communication and public speaking, economics, and personal growth.

Education

• Louisiana State University

  Masters of Science in Electrical Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering

  2009 — 2011

• Louisiana State University

  Doctoral Degree of Science (Ph.D), Electrical and Electronics Engineering

  2011 — 2015

Skills

• Power Protection
• Simulations
• Engineering
• Labview
• Power Electronics
• Characterization
• Nerc Standards
• Smart Grid Technologies
• Microsoft Office
• C
• Programming
• Power Quality
• Research
• Latex
• Renewable Energy Markets
• Matlab
• Simulink
• C++
• Pspice
• Renewable Energy Systems
• Power Markets
• Power Systems
• Electrical Engineering