Peter J. Ford, P.E. Electrical Engineer & Electrical Systems Expert

Professional Experience

Provide technical investigations, analysis, reports, and testimony toward the resolution of commercial and personal injury litigation involving the design, construction, operation and maintenance of electrical systems, equipment, and devices.

Areas of expertise include:

• High-voltage power transmission system and medium-voltage distribution system equipment and operation: power transformers, circuit breakers, circuit switchers, disconnect switches, instrument transformers, capacitor banks, switchgear
• Low-voltage power distribution system equipment and operation: switchboards, panelboards, load centers, thermal-magnetic circuit breakers, ground-fault interrupting circuit breakers (GFCI), arc-fault interrupting circuit breakers (AFCI), fused disconnect switches, motor starters, batteries, battery charges and conditioners, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), enclosures, conduits and raceways, cabling and wiring, terminations
• Back-up power system equipment and operation: load demand analysis, generator sizing calculations, diesel and natural gas generators, automatic transfer switches (ATS), segregation of normal power and back-up power loads
• Fire alarm and fire suppression systems: annunciator panels, radio systems, smoke detectors, heat detectors, pressure switches, flow sensors, pull stations, audio/visual notification appliances, wet and dry sprinkler systems, halon systems, fire water pumps, kitchen hoods
• Building Systems: HVAC, plumbing, lighting protection, alarm systems, elevators, kitchens, commercial displays, IT infrastructure,
• Lighting: photometric studies, roadway lighting, workspace lighting, architectural lighting, theatrical lighting, sports field lighting, emergency and egress lighting
• Water and wastewater systems: water well sites, booster pumping stations, water storage sites, sewer treatment plants, sewer lift stations, variable frequency drives (VFD), chlorine injection systems, mobile pumping, pipeline construction, spill containment
• Control Systems: standards, schematics, wiring diagrams, programmable logic controllers, human machine interfaces, serial and fiber communication systems, remote and local control interfaces (HMI), supervisory control and data acquisition systems (SCADA), safety interlocks, analog protection devices, digital protection devices, encoders and decoders, feedback systems, timers, metering
• Analysis: quality assurance/quality check, failure analysis, root case investigations, load studies, empirical testing of computer modeling, photometric surveys, grounding studies, arc fault calculations, overcurrent protection coordination, energy efficiency
• Maintenance: electrical personal protective equipment (PPE), equipment refurbishment, equipment replacement
• Project Management: project contracts, project bidding and awarding, sequence of construction, material procurement, construction meetings, factory acceptance testing, document control
• Supervision and training: standards and procedures, processes, standards of care, safety, first aid, environmental, orienteering

Created Request for Proposal (RFP) packages for high-voltage substation Engineer, Procured, Construct (EPC) projects. Engineering task including: generation of conceptual electrical designs involving station layouts, protection and control systems, communication systems, and power systems; generation of conceptual physical designs including station arrangement, cable trenches, raceways, duct banks, fiber optic conduits, and station power. Management task including: procurement and approval of power transformers, circuit breakers, switches, capacitor banks, switchgear, and metering instruments; estimate and forecast project cost; prepared Scope of Work (SOW) documents, construction milestone schedules, specifications, bidding standards; conducted pre-bid meetings, responded to Request for Information (RFI) from bidders, evaluated submitted bids, provided a recommendation to award.

Design of electrical systems for residential, commercial, educational, religious, and healthcare facilities; including power metering and distribution, switchgear, lighting, HVAC, fire alarm systems and fire suppression, elevators, and IT infrastructure. Design of electrical systems for filling stations, water wells, pumping stations, wastewater treatment plants, sewer lift stations; including motor starters, variable frequency drives (VFD), control systems, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems. Design of backup power systems; including load studies, sizing calculations, diesel and natural gas generators, automatic transfer switches (ATS), segregation of normal and backup power circuits. Design and study of lighting systems; including interstate interchanges, municipal and state roadways, industrial sites, sports fields, residential and commercial facilities. Procedural activities; including root cause investigations, emergency assessment and remedy, fire marshal approvals, building efficiency certifications, lead construction meetings, managing construction contracts, and material approval.

Design of high-voltage substation Protection and Control (P&C) control systems; including AC schematics, DC schematics, wiring diagrams, control panels, annunciators, Human Machine Interfaces (HMI), mechanical relays, digital relays, local control switches, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, safety interlocks and indications, fiber optic communication systems, serial communication systems, wiring, and cabling. Design of high-voltage substation AC & DC power systems; including transformers, feeder cables, automatic transfer switches, disconnect switches, panelboards, circuit breakers, fuses, battery banks, battery chargers, voltage converters, and HVAC. Design of high-voltage substation safety systems; including security & controlled access systems, fire alarm systems, lightning protection, grounding grids for step-potential and touch-potential mitigation, hydrogen mitigation systems, lighting, fencing, and signage. Procedural activities; including client/consultant/contractor coordination, subcontractor contracts and administration, construction auditing, creation of project schedules, creation of Bill of Materials (BOM), material procurement, equipment approval, factory acceptance testing, Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC), project cost estimating and forecasting, and training of engineers and designers.

Design of high-voltage substation Protection and Control (P&C) control systems; including AC schematics, DC schematics, wiring diagrams, control panels, annunciators, Human Machine Interfaces (HMI), mechanical relays, digital relays, local control switches, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, safety interlocks and indications, fiber optic communication systems, serial communication systems, wiring, and cabling. Design of high-voltage substation AC & DC power systems; including transformers, feeder cables, automatic transfer switches, disconnect switches, panelboards, circuit breakers, fuses, battery banks, battery chargers, voltage converters, and HVAC. Design of high-voltage substation safety systems; including security & controlled access systems. Procedural activities; including creation of Scope of Work (SOW) documents, creation of man-hour estimates and budgets, client/consultant coordination, creation of project schedules, creation of Bill of Materials (BOM), material procurement, equipment approval, Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC), site visits, document control, and training of engineers and designers.

Design of high-voltage substation Protection and Control (P&C) control systems; including AC schematics, DC schematics, wiring diagrams, control panels, annunciators, Human Machine Interfaces (HMI), mechanical relays, digital relays, local control switches, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, safety interlocks and indications, fiber optic communication systems, serial communication systems, wiring, and cabling. Design of high-voltage substation AC & DC power systems; including transformers, feeder cables, automatic transfer switches, disconnect switches, panelboards, circuit breakers, fuses, battery banks, battery chargers, voltage converters, and HVAC. Procedural activities; including creation of scope of work documents, creation of man-hour estimates and budgets, client/consultant coordination, creation of Bill of Materials (BOM), material procurement, equipment approval, construction auditing, document control, and Quality Assurance/Quality Control.

Deliver and install liquid handling systems in paper mills, chemical plants, and oil refineries; including driving Class-3 trucks and delivering of material, loading and unloading of equipment with forklifts, securing of loads, mobile pump setup and takedown, HDPE pipeline construction and removal, spill prevention, and trained in safety protocols for working in hazardous conditions including confined spaces, areas at risk for: poisonous gases, chemical releases, arc flashes, and explosions.

Acquisition of materials for an electrical contractor building an oil refinery expansion; including receiving material requests from field crews, sourcing materials from designated suppliers and specialty suppliers, and tracking material deliveries from supplies to field crews.

Summer internship with electrical maintenance department; including refurbishment of 4160 V switchgear and breakers, observation of Motor Control Center (MCC) construction, empirical testing of computer modeling predicting the failure of grounding conductors, testing of PPE, and trained for potential release of chlorine gas and arc flashes.

Installed and maintained audio/visual presentation systems in 150+ classrooms and auditoriums; including working the help desk, mounting of projectors to ceilings and mounting of video
equipment in podiums, routing and terminating of cable runs between projectors & speakers and to the podium, troubleshooting and replacement of failed equipment during on-going classes, periodic maintenance of all 150+ systems, and upgraded existing systems.

Professional Credentials

Professional Engineer: Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, Washington, Wyoming

Education

M.S., Electrical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 2012

B.S., Electrical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 2009

Continuing Education

• CPE Solutions, Ground-Fault Protection on Construction Sites, 2025
• CPE Solutions, Explosive Safety Standards, 2025
• CPE Solutions, Controlling Electrical Hazards, 2025
• CPE Solutions, Facilities Engineering-Electrical Exterior Facilities, 2025
• CED Engineering, An Introduction to Modern Sensor Technology, December 2024
• CED Engineering, Arc Flash Resistant Equipment, December 2024
• CED Engineering, Low Voltage Switchgear, December 2024
• CED Engineering, Recent Trends and Innovations in Arc Flash Assessment, December 2024
• PDHDirect, Electrical Distribution Systems, December 2023
• PDHDirect, Transformers, December 2023
• PDHDirect, Advantages of Electricity Storage to the Electric Grid, December 2023
• PDHDirect, Direct Current Circuits Fundamentals, December 2023
• CED Engineering, An Introduction to Anti-Terrorism Assumptions for Building Design, October 2022
• CED Engineering, A Guide to Combustible Dusts, October 2022
• CED Engineering, Low Voltage Switchgear, December 2021
• CED Engineering, Understanding Motor Nameplate Information: NEMA VS IEC Standards, December 2021
• CED Engineering, Overview of Fire Alarm and Detection Systems, December 2021
• CED Engineering, Photovoltaic System Safety, December 2021
• CED Engineering, AC Generators and Motors, September 2020
• CED Engineering, DC Generators and Motors, September 2020
• CED Engineering, Electrical Distribution Systems, September 2020
• CED Engineering, An Introduction to Operation and Maintenance of Auxiliary Power Systems, September 2020
• CED Engineering, Electrical Test Instruments and Measuring Devices, September 2020
• Red Vector, Electric Motors, November 2019
• Red Vector, Energy from Waste, November 2019
• Red Vector, Renewable Energy Fundamentals, November 2019
• Red Vector, Phasors and AC Circuit Analysis, November 2019
• Red Vector, Critical Facilities – Emergency Electric Power, November 2019
• Red Vector, Electrical Fire Alarm Systems, October 2019
• Red Vector, Transmission and Distribution: Substations and Switchyards, October 2019
• Myers, Myers Power Products, June 2019
• Novatech, Novatech Product / Application Training, May 2019
• Trench Ltd, Dry-Type Reactor Technical Seminar, April 2019
• AFL, Comprehensive Substation Connector Training (Welded, Bolted, Swag and Standard Compression), December 2018
• 3M, Termination Training, April 2018
• ABB, Digital Substations, November 2017
• GHMR & Instrument Transformer Equipment Corporation, Instrument Transformer Seminar: Metering and Relaying Applications, August 2017
• Southwire, Control and Power Cable, June 2017

Professional Memberships

• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
• National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI)

Publications

Ford, P.J., Amiri, E. & Mendrela, E., Electric elevator drive with position control. Electr Eng 98, 307–319 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00202-016-0368-3

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