Niraj Jha

Global O&M Leadership: Spearheading establishment and expansion of REplus’s Operations & Maintenance business for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) worldwide

Large-scale Project Readiness: Driving planning and operational readiness for a 1 GWh BESS project, ensuring seamless execution and reliability.

Multi-site Strategy: Developing and implementing O&M strategies across seven sites in five Indian states, optimizing performance and standardisation.Commissioning Support: Providing technical and operational support during commissioning phases to accelerate project delivery.

Cost Optimization: Implemented efficiency measures that reduced operational costs while ensuring high system availability and reliability.

Digital Monitoring Systems: Developed advanced digital monitoring platforms for predictive maintenance and real-time performance tracking, enhancing operational insights.

Talent Development: Leading manpower hiring and capability building to strengthen technical expertise and operational excellence.

Commissioning Support: Providing technical and operational support during commissioning phases to accelerate project delivery.

Pre-bid Support: Delivering technical and operational inputs for pre-bid proposals, ensuring competitive positioning and risk mitigation.

Contract Review: Reviewing and negotiating O&M-related contracts to safeguard commercial interests and align obligations with operational capabilities.

Safety KPI Monitoring: Establishing and tracking safety KPIs across sites to ensure compliance, minimise incidents, and promote a culture of operational safety

• Designed substation layouts, developed pre-bid details, and conducted engineering analyses.
• Lead Commissioning Engineering: Lead commissioning activities and engineering.
• RFP Analysis: Analyze new project Requests for Proposals (RFPs) related to solar PV.
• Project Requirements: Understand project requirements and specifications outlined in the RFP.
• Design Review: Review substation design requirements and conduct pre-bid analysis for optimized design solutions.
• Document Review: Review all design, testing, and commissioning documents before submitting bids.
• Assumption Consistency: Ensure assumptions made during the bidding process align with project needs.
• EPC Coordination: Discuss assumptions and project details with the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractor.
• Facilitated communication between clients and project teams to ensure alignment on project goals.
• Negotiated terms and conditions with vendors to secure favourable pricing and delivery schedules.
• Developed standard operating procedures to ensure consistency and efficiency in project execution.
• Integrated all assumptions made during the bidding process into the project plan after winning the bid.
• Commissioning Schedules: Develop detailed commissioning schedules outlining timelines, milestones, and deadlines.
• Resource Allocation: Ensure availability of necessary resources for commissioning activities.
• Risk Mitigation: Identify potential risks and develop mitigation strategies for a smooth commissioning process.
• Stakeholder Communication: Maintain clear communication with all stakeholders, including EPC contractors, project owners, and regulatory bodies.
• O&M Training: Provide training and support to the operations and maintenance (O&M) team.
• Record Keeping: Maintain detailed records of all commissioning activities and prepare comprehensive reports.
• Process Improvement: Review and analyze commissioning processes to identify areas for improvement.
• Visited project sites to assess progress and identify potential issues.
• Design Engineering & Test Plans: Develop detailed design engineering and test plans for PV components.
• Vendor Coordination: Coordinate with vendors to ensure equipment and materials meet specifications and are delivered on time.
• Pre-Commissioning Tests: Conduct pre-commissioning tests to verify functionality and performance.
• System Integration Testing: Oversee system integration testing to ensure seamless component interaction.
• Performance Validation: Validate system performance against design specifications and criteria.
• Safety Compliance: Ensure all testing activities comply with relevant safety standards and regulations.
• Documentation: Document commissioning and testing activities.
• Support EPC Team: Support the EPC team in completing plant handover to the O&M team.
• Design Exhibited leadership by guiding teams through project challenges and fostering collaboration: Lead multidisciplinary design teams to develop innovative product solutions.
• Testing & Validation: Conduct rigorous testing and validation of design concepts.
• Issue Resolution: Identify and resolve design-related issues promptly.
• Stakeholder Presentations: Present design proposals to stakeholders effectively.
• Resource Planning: Plan resources efficiently.
• Breakdown Analysis: Analyse breakdowns and plan preventive measures.
• Safety & Compliance: Ensure safety and regulatory compliance.
• Project Lifecycle: Understand the project lifecycle.
• Quality Assurance: Conduct quality assurance testing.
• Engaged in negotiations to achieve favourable outcomes for project contracts and agreements: Demonstrate strong negotiation skills.
• Leadership: Exhibit leadership qualities.

• Team Leadership: Led a team of 120+ personnel across 14 sites in 6 states in India.
• Asset Management: Managed daily, monthly, and yearly reporting, deviation analysis, preventive and curative maintenance records, and real-time deviation monitoring through SCADA.
• Operation & Maintenance: Implemented preventive and predictive maintenance, anomaly detection, cloud-based performance improvement, scheduled and need-based maintenance, SLA management, breakdown impact analysis, spare and inventory management, and condition-based monitoring.
• F&A Budgeting & Bidding: Handled yearly budgeting, supported BD team with O&M cost for new bids, provided feedback on vendor recommendations, cost sheets, and spare lists, and played a major role in a transaction between Engie and Edelweiss.
• Design Support: Reviewed drawings and design parameters, provided equipment inputs based on performance and risk assessment, and ensured warranty and training provisions.
• EHS & Continuity Management: Enabled 20+ million safe working hours, conducted IMS & EHS audits, maintained 5S standards, and ensured PPE and safety checks at sites.
• Led strategic planning sessions to define company vision and operational strategies, aligning team efforts with corporate objectives.
• Negotiated high-value contracts with suppliers and vendors, securing favourable terms and strengthening business relationships.
• Conducted performance evaluations, identifying areas for improvement and implementing bespoke training programmes.
• Managed budgets exceeding optimising resource allocation and reducing costs by 15% through efficient financial planning securing 25% profit.
• Led operations team in daily tasks, optimising workflow and increasing efficiency.
• Managed budgets and financial planning, achieving cost savings without compromising on quality.

• Technical Support: Provided technical support at Sterling & Wilson Solar.
• Substation Equipment: Responsible for testing, operation, maintenance, erection, commissioning, and troubleshooting of substation equipment (220KV, 132KV, 66KV, 33KV, 11KV), including power transformers, CSS, relays, circuit breakers, HT panels, LA, insulators, and cables.
• Fault Analysis: Identified and studied faults, providing solutions for all Sterling & Wilson O&M sites globally.
• Vendor Coordination: Coordinated with Supply Management for vendor quality assessment and techno-commercial reviews.
• Maintenance Data: Reviewed calibration certificates and prepared maintenance data reports.

• Technical Support: Provided technical support for corporate operations engineering at Suzlon Global Services Limited.
• Substation Equipment: Managed testing, operation, maintenance, erection, commissioning, and troubleshooting of substation equipment (400KV, 220KV, 132KV, 66KV, 33KV, 11KV), including power transformers, CSS, relays, circuit breakers, HT panels, LA, insulators, and motor cables.
• Leadership: Led 82 substations ranging from 25 MVA to 300 MVA across India.
• Special Projects: Handled transformer/panel refurbishment, substation SCADA planning and execution, and grid stability projects.
• Vendor Coordination: Coordinated with Supply Management for vendor quality assessment, techno-commercial reviews, and maintenance data reporting.
• Commissioning & Inspection: Oversaw substation and transmission line commissioning, HOTO support, equipment inspection, vendor development, and ISO audits.
• Preventive Maintenance: Developed half-yearly and yearly preventive maintenance plans for WTG, substation, and transmission equipment.
• Condition-Based Maintenance: Conducted condition-based maintenance and analysis.
• EHV Equipment Inspection: Inspected EHV equipment at vendor sites and provided clearance for dispatch/commissioning.
• Daily Operations: Coordinated daily activities of substation control rooms and PTW, and analyzed daily breakdowns.
• Product Development: Led new product development, quality document preparation (QAP, MPP), and supplier audits.
• Repair & Maintenance: Managed repair and maintenance of power and distribution transformers, HT panels, and other electrical items.
• Technical Documentation: Handled technical documentation, monthly MIS preparation, and vendor development.
• Inventory Management: Managed inventory, prepared yearly team budgets, and handled repair and scrapping processes.
• Training & Support: Identified training needs and supported engineers and technicians in troubleshooting.
• SAP Reporting: Updated all activity reports on SAP.
• Led weekly staff meetings to discuss targets, performance improvements, and customer feedback.
• Coordinated with senior management to implement strategic plans for revenue growth.
• Negotiated with suppliers to secure better prices, improving profit margins.
• Managed budget allocation for department expenses, optimising resource use and cutting costs.

• Coordination: Maintained coordination for daily dispatches of power and distribution transformers, PSS, and LT & HT panels.
• Material Handling: Received materials at site, verified quality and quantity, and handed them over to customers.
• Scheduling: Prepared and communicated erection and commissioning schedules to customers.
• Erection & Commissioning: Managed complete erection, testing, and commissioning of power (33KV, 66KV) and distribution (11KV, 33KV) transformers, PSS, RMU, VCB panels, and HT & LT control panels.
• Customer Complaints: Addressed and resolved customer complaints regarding transformers, PSS/CSS, breakers, and panels, ensuring successful commissioning certificates.
• Root Cause Analysis: Conducted root cause analysis of customer complaints and reported findings for improvement.
• Customer Training: Provided technical training to customers on product handling.
• Supplier Coordination: Coordinated with suppliers and the purchase department to resolve product complaints and updated the plant.
• AMC & Sales Service: Managed Annual Maintenance Contracts (AMC) and sales service responsibilities.