Drew Siebenaler
Managing Consultant - Transmission
Drew has over 14 years of experience working on a wide variety of issues related to transmission and long-range planning. His primary focus is on all aspects of transmission ranging from interconnections to policy, including reliability analysis, production costing simulation, wholesale energy markets, transmission cost allocation, permitting and regulatory support. Additionally, he has experience with various aspects of resource planning including grid stability, operational reliability, transmission-related congestion and economic impacts from grid expansion. Drew has had formal training on PSS/E, PSLF, PROMOD modeling and has led efforts performed using numerous models. He has provided expert testimony as part of filings to the utility commissions in Colorado, Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin and at the federal level with FERC.
Education
- B.S. Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota – Duluth, 2012.
- Technical Diploma – Electrical Construction and Maintenance, Dunwoody College of Technology, 2007.
Experience
2026-Present
Managing Consultant – Transmission, Energy Futures Group, Hinesburg, VT
2025-2026
Associate Director – Interconnection Services, Electric Power Engineers, Austin, TX
2024-2025
Director – Strategic Transmission Planning (Interim), Xcel Energy, Minneapolis, MN
2019-2024
Manager – Regional Transmission Planning and Analytics, Xcel Energy, Minneapolis, MN
2015-2019
Senior Engineer – Regional Transmission Planning, Xcel Energy, Minneapolis, MN
2012-2015
Transmission Planning Engineer II, MAPPCOR, Roseville, MN
Selected Projects
Electric Power Engineers. Directed efforts to analyze generation and load development to navigate regional, state and local interconnection processes. Led business development focusing on regulatory, policy and strategic services. Managed client projects to deliver outstanding results to manage cost exposure. Supported client capital project development and permitting. Led industry efforts to better integrate utility planning, including leading utility, NARUC and ESIG efforts. 2025-2026.
Xcel Energy. Developed and implemented procedural changes to meet strategic goals. Directed company initiatives to integrate transmission and generation planning. Served as witness in state regulatory proceedings regarding planning strategy. Led developmental and educational efforts to advance staff capabilities.
Additionally, led a team of transmission planning engineers developing expedited solutions to unprecedented levels of congestion caused by rapid changes in the location and magnitude of energy production and customer demand. This included serving as the technical witness for the first fully economic-driven transmission line permitted in the state of Minnesota as well as direct development efforts of the MISO LRTP and the Just Transition Solicitation in Colorado. 2015-2025.
MAPPCOR. Analyzed the transmission system in compliance with federal, state and local transmission planning standards including steady state, dynamic stability and probabilistic studies. Ensured compliance with NERC transmission planning standards. Developed automated processes to reduce the time required for processing and review of transmission planning studies. Crafted Tariff language to comply with FERC Order 1000 regional and interregional planning requirements. 2012-2015.
Selected Publications
Rashwan, Ahmed, Drew Siebenaler and James Okullo. 2025. Modernizing Transmission Planning: Integrating Silos to Deliver Multi-Driver, Multi-Value Outcomes. Energy Systems Integration Group (ESIG). https://www.esig.energy/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/ESIG-Integrating-Transmission-Silos-report-2025.pdf.
CapX2050. March 2020. CapX2050 Transmission Vision Report. https://gridnorthpartners.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/CapX2050_TransmissionVisionReport_FINAL.pdf.
Expert Testimony
Before the Public Utilities Commission of Colorado, Proceeding No. 24A-0442E. In the matter of Public Service Company of Colorado for approval of its 2024 Just Transition Solicitation, October 15, 2024, on behalf of Public Service Company of Colorado. Testified on the JTS Transmission Study, the history of transmission planning in Colorado and an improved modeling approach utilized to identify a range of transmission portfolios to meet identified resource mix assumptions.