In previous issues of Innovations we have turned the spotlight on two of these areas - a group based in Atlantic Canada that knows as much as can be known about airport and other refueling systems; and a team that has earned for Acres the lead position in assessing and rehabilitating concrete structures affected by alkali aggregate reaction. Today I'd like to introduce a few more of these brilliant back-room people, and perhaps in future issues we'll take a closer look at some of their recent achievements.
 Joe Groeneveld Senior Hydraulic Engineer |
Hydraulic engineering lies at the very core of Acres International, and at the very core of hydraulic engineering design these days lies numerical analysis. Prior to his recent transfer to the Calgary office, Joe Groeneveld had been the Head of the Hydraulic Department at Acres Manitoba since 1998. During that time, he and his team became experts in the use of FLOW-3D, a third-party Computational Flow Dynamics (CFD) software program capable of simulating dynamic and steady state behavior of liquids and gases in one, two or three dimensions. Program performance was verified during five years, over a wide range of projects. Most recently FLOW-3D was employed during pre-commitment studies at Wuskwatim and Gull GS in Northern Manitoba. Experience to date confirms that CFD is a reliable alternative to physical model studies in the analysis of design problems.
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 Fiaz Chaudhry Team Leader, Studies and Planning |
 Thorhallur Hjartarson Team Leader, Asset Management |
Acres does a lot of work in the field of Transmission and Distribution (T&D). We offer the usual - or better than usual - engineering design and construction management services, plus two services which are unique to Acres. One is Studies and Planning, the other Asset Management. Our T&D service package therefore meets the full breadth of client needs. Fiaz Chaudhry leads the Studies and Planning product line, which provides T&D systems analysis, including both steady state and dynamic system performance, and project feasibility studies. Thorhallur Hjartarson leads the Asset/Facility Management product line, which focuses on asset condition assessment programs, maintenance optimization, risk management and work/maintenance management systems. Both bring many years of industry experience to the leadership of their respective product lines.
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 Jim Bracken Managing Director, Advisory Services |
It has been our general experience that deregulation in the power sector actually results in an increase of regulation as governments struggle to make the transition towards more open and competitive markets. In response, Acres provides a range of services which are helpful to everyone involved. Leading the Acres Management Consulting team is Jim Bracken. Jim has hands-on experience within the natural gas industry which, combined with professional change management and dispute resolution skills, makes him a trustworthy guide for clients testing the waters of the open market.
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 Nan Nalder Manager, Regulatory and Environmental Services |
Many of our outstanding specialists are special because of their familiarity with and understanding of the region they work in. One of these is Nan Nalder, consultant and strategic advisor to licensees and water utilities for many of the largest hydropower and water supply projects in the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. In one extremely challenging assignment, Nan serves as strategic advisor to 27 municipal agencies for relicensing of Oroville Dam, at 770 feet the tallest dam in the US. The Oroville Reservoir (also known as Lake Oroville) is the principal water storage facility of the State Water Project (SWP) which conserves and delivers water to over two-thirds of California's population.
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 Bob Griesbach Managing Director, Planning |
There are very few consultants capable of looking at the energy needs of an entire country. Bob Griesbach of Acres is one. Master planning on a national scale requires both the technical expertise of Acres International and the economic, financial and market skills of Acres Management Consulting - a combination which few firms are able to provide. Among countries which have benefited from this unique capability are Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda; currently, energy sector master planning is under way in Uttar Pradesh State, India.
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If you have a project which could benefit from the special expertise and experience of these outstanding members of the Acres team, please don't hesitate to approach them.