Earlier this week, the Energy Systems Integration Group (ESIG), the leading source of global expertise for energy systems integration and operations, announced the recipients of its 2025 Excellence Awards.
These awards recognize energy professionals from around the world for their contributions and accomplishments toward the planning and operation of energy systems across multiple pathways and geographical scales in ways that are reliable, economic and sustainable.
More than 30 individuals received Excellence Awards, including one Charlie Smith Lifetime Excellence Award winner, for their sustained contributions and dedication to the energy industry.
“ESIG’s annual awards program recognizes the energy industry’s achievements, and we’re seeing significant momentum on transformative projects in 2025,” said Mark Ahlstrom, ESIG Board of Directors President. “Announcing this year’s recipients truly demonstrates the innovation occurring among energy systems integration and operations leaders, and we are proud to celebrate them all.”
The Charlie Smith Lifetime Excellence Award is presented to:
Robert Cummings, Red Yucca Power Consulting – For a career of innumerable achievements and immeasurable influence
Excellence Award recipients include:
For leadership in dynamic modeling, simulation tools and analysis methods for modern power systems
- Marta Val Escudero, EirGrid
For driving modeling best practice through expertise, innovation, and knowledge sharing
- Miguel Angel Cova Acosta, Vestas
For leadership in industry education to speed up adoption of EMT modeling and studies
- Sam Maleki, RMS Energy
For leadership in development and adoption of advanced interconnection requirements for inverter based resources in MISO
- Patrick Dalton, MISO
- Megan Pamperin, POWER Engineers
For thought leadership across the industry on the topic of services from IBRs and their utilization to support power grid decarbonization
- Deepak Ramasubramanian, EPRI
For leadership in creating the RARE Power Dataset which enables more accurate modeling of weather-dependent power systems
- Chris Clack, Pattern Energy
For leadership of the EMT Task Force and the development of critical resources and guidance
- Aung Thant, NERC
For leadership in large-scale transmission planning to enable economic benefits and clean energy
- Joseph Reddoch, MISO LRTP Team
- Matthew Tackett, MISO LRTP Team
- Sumit Brar, MISO LRTP Team
- Clayton Mayfield, MISO LRTP Team
- Jeremiah Doner, MISO LRTP Team
- Christina Drake, MISO LRTP Team
- Jeanna Furnish, MISO LRTP Team
- Laura Rauch, MISO LRTP Team
For G-PST leadership and sharing of knowledge and experience with system operators around the world
- Karin Wadsack, NREL G-PST Secretariat and Pillar 2 Leads
- Lina Ramirez, NREL G-PST Secretariat and Pillar 2 Leads
- Isabel McCan, NREL G-PST Secretariat and Pillar 2 Leads
- Sylvia Raskin, NREL G-PST Secretariat and Pillar 2 Leads
For state-of-the-art distribution planning techniques
- Digaunto Chatterjee, Eversource
- Lavelle Freeman, Eversource
- Gerhard Walker, Eversource
- Juan Martinez, Eversource
- Shakir Iqbal, Eversource
- Elli Ntakou, Eversource
For successful implementation of a grid-forming BESS for seamless micro-grid and grid-connected operations
- George Wegh, Eversource
- Jennifer Schilling, Eversource
- John Ventura, Eversource
- Anuj Mathur, Eversource
For leadership in establishing a holistic and practical integrated system planning process
- Angie Bond-Simpson, Salt River Project
- Mary Faulk, Salt River Project
For leadership in conceptualizing a revolutionary approach to the Modular Control Center System (MCCS) of the future and contributions to G-PST
- Mirko Pracht, 50Hertz
- Arya Fazilat, 50Hertz
For leadership in multi-metric resource adequacy criteria
- Dor Hirsh Bar Gai, NWPCC
- Daniel Hua, NWPCC
- John Fazio, GridLab
Service & Appreciation Award recipients include:
For 9 years of faithful service to the ESIG Board of Directors
- Joe Lang, Omaha Public Power District
For more information or to become a member of ESIG, contact info@esig.energy.
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