Engineering
The Engineering Department has provided professional engineering services to the AIEC member cooperatives in specialized areas of rate design, cost of service studies, econometric forecasting and other engineering related studies. Technical training is also offered for various computer software applications.
Carl Dufner, P.E., Vice President of Engineering has more than 36 years of experience in preparing cost of service and rate design studies for electric cooperatives. He has developed financial forecasting software tools that have been used by cooperatives across the country. Most recently, he has developed specialized database software that cooperatives are using to register members at their annual meetings.
The department continually monitors utility cases before the Illinois Commerce Commission to keep the AIEC members up to date on utility issues in the state. The utility industry is changing and the department will be sure that our cooperative members are aware of the impacts on the cooperative systems.
Senior Vice President of Engineering
Engineering Department at the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives
Education:
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Missouri - Rolla in May 1971. Additional course work in Economics, Statistics and Accounting at University of Illinois at Springfield.
Professional:
Registered Professional Engineer in Illinois and Missouri.
Experience:
June 1971 to August 1976 - Illinois Commerce Commission
Responsibility for utility planning, cost of service, rate design and economic analysis.
September 1976 to Present - V.P. of Engineering Department at the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives.
Responsibilities:
Development of cost of service studies, rate design, power requirement studies, financial forecasts, borrower's environmental reports, wholesale power contract negotiations, deregulation expert and other economic studies. Developed a spreadsheet based financial forecast package used throughout the country. Provided expert testimony before the Illinois Commerce Commission on matters involving the Illinois Electric Cooperatives. Also, has provided testimony before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on wholesale power contracts between investor-owned utilities and cooperatives.
Electrical Engineer
Engineering Department at the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives
Education:
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Mathematical Studies from Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville.
Professional:
Registered Engineer-In-Training in Illinois.
Experience:
January 2007 to May 2008 – FASTechnology Group Inc.
Responsible for building and wiring electrical panels for commercial printers.
Took part in Mini Grand Challenge at Penn State – Abington in April 2008. Developed PSoC program to control the usage of sonar sensors, as well as helping with overall design of autonomous vehicle.
Responsibilities:
Responsibilities include rate design, econometric modeling for power requirement studies, cost of service studies and other work requiring computer analysis, spreadsheet and advanced database development.
Engineering Technician
Engineering Department at the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives
Education:
Bachelor of Science degree in Instructional Technology Telecommunications with a minor in Engineering Graphic Communication from Western Illinois University in May 2002.
Experience:
Instructional Development Services a Division of The Center for the Application of Information Technologies at Western Illinois University. Provided training for students, faculty and employees in software and hardware applications. Training included basic word processing applications to multimedia software for PC and Mac platforms. Previous experience included loan-processing services.
Responsibilities:
Provides computer training and software support to member cooperatives. Develop complex spreadsheet and database programs. Prepare monthly billing, financial trending analysis reports, activity reports, gather data, prepare worksheets and graphs, and provide support to the cooperative engineers.
