Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Electrical Commissioning Engineer

🎯 Role Definition

The Electrical Commissioning Engineer leads and executes on-site and off-site commissioning activities for electrical power and control systems across industrial, utility, renewable energy, and commercial construction projects. This role is accountable for developing commissioning plans and procedures, performing pre-commissioning and functional tests, energization and handover activities, protection and control verification, troubleshooting complex electrical systems (HV/MV/LV), ensuring compliance with safety and quality standards, and coordinating with project teams, vendors, clients and subcontractors to achieve safe, timely, and compliant project completion.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Electrical Commissioning Technician / Technician Engineer
Graduate Electrical Engineer (Commissioning stream)
Protection & Control Technician

Advancement To:

Senior Electrical Commissioning Engineer
Commissioning Manager / Lead Commissioning Engineer
Project Manager or Technical Project Lead
Head of Commissioning or Engineering Manager

Lateral Moves:

Protection & Control Engineer
Control Systems / SCADA Engineer
Test & Fault-finding Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop, review and maintain detailed electrical commissioning plans, procedures, risk assessments, and test packs (FAT, SAT, ITPs) for HV/MV/LV systems, ensuring alignment with project scope, technical specifications and client requirements.
Lead and execute pre-commissioning workflows including cable continuity and polarity checks, insulation resistance testing (megger), loop checks, and verification of wiring and terminations against as-built drawings and schematics prior to energization.
Plan, coordinate and perform safe energization of electrical systems (initial and progressive energization), coordinating with protection engineers, site operations and utilities to obtain permissions, schedule outages, and complete pre-energization checklists.
Perform functional testing, performance verification and commissioning of protection and control systems including relay testing, protection coordination checks, setting and verification of protection relays (overcurrent, differential, distance, earth-fault) using tools such as Omicron, Doble or equivalent.
Execute FATs (Factory Acceptance Tests) and SATs (Site Acceptance Tests) for switchgear (GIS, AIS, RMU), transformers (HV/MV/LV), motor control centres (MCC), generator sets, UPS, and auxiliary power systems; produce and record test evidence and punch lists.
Commission and validate PLC/DCS/RTU logic, I/O integrity, interlocks, and alarm handling; verify SCADA/HMI integration, telemetry links, and supervisory control functionality according to control narratives and functional specifications.
Supervise, witness and validate specialist subcontractor activities including cable jointing, transformer oil testing, switchgear installation and HV cable terminations to ensure workmanship meets commissioning quality standards and manufacturer recommendations.
Conduct protective relay coordination reviews and implement relay settings, including confirmation of time/current curves and adherence to power system protection philosophy and coordination study outputs.
Carry out power quality, voltage regulation, harmonic distortion and load flow measurements; analyze data to confirm system performance and identify corrective actions for compliance with statutory and client standards.
Coordinate and perform generator and synchronous machine commissioning including excitation tests, governor checks, black start procedures and multi-generator synchronizing and load sharing tests.
Carry out battery & UPS commissioning: battery condition checks, capacity testing, float/charge tests, and verify seamless transfer between sources for critical systems.
Execute insulation, hipot (high-potential) and dielectric tests for cables, switchgear, transformers and motors where required; interpret results and recommend remedial actions for failures or marginal readings.
Perform dynamic testing and motor commissioning including rotor insulation tests, no-load and load tests, motor starter checks and verification of soft starters and variable speed drives (VSD/AC drives).
Troubleshoot and fault-find electrical systems during commissioning, synthesizing information from relay logs, oscillography, test instruments and site observations; prepare technical recommendations and corrective action plans.
Prepare and maintain comprehensive commissioning records, test certificates, as-built documentation, punch-lists, snag lists and final commissioning reports suitable for client handover, regulatory bodies and maintenance teams.
Coordinate with project engineering, procurement and construction teams to ensure that spares, critical tools (relay test sets, insulation testers, TDRs) and vendor support are available during commissioning windows.
Ensure strict adherence to site safety protocols (permit-to-work, isolation procedures, arc flash assessments) and lead toolbox talks and HSE briefings specific to electrical commissioning activities.
Provide on-the-job training and handover sessions to client operations and maintenance personnel, including detailed operational walkthroughs, maintenance plans, and emergency procedures.
Manage commissioning schedules and resource allocation, tracking progress against milestones, escalating delays, and implementing recovery plans to meet project completion and turnover targets.
Participate in design reviews, pre-construction meetings and commissioning readiness reviews to identify potential commissioning risks early and influence design and procurement decisions for maintainability and testability.
Verify and accept manufacturer documentation, calibration certificates and warranty conditions, and ensure that equipment is commissioned in accordance with OEM recommendations and contractual obligations.
Support defect resolution and warranty call-offs post-handover, investigating failures, coordinating remedial actions and updating commissioning dossiers to reflect as-maintained configurations.
Ensure quality assurance throughout commissioning by implementing checklists, independent witness points, root cause analysis of issues and continuous improvement of commissioning practices and procedures.
Facilitate third-party inspections, statutory examinations and compliance testing with utilities and regulatory bodies; prepare and submit required test evidence and certifications.
Manage interface with multiple stakeholders (clients, EPC contractors, subcontractors, vendors) to resolve technical discrepancies, schedule conflicts and clarify commissioning scope and responsibilities.
Lead acceptance testing with clients, capturing sign-offs on readiness, and ensuring all contractual deliverables for commissioning and handover are met before project closeout.

Secondary Functions

Contribute to the development of standardized commissioning templates, checklists, and knowledge base articles to improve repeatability and efficiency across projects.
Support commercial and procurement teams with technical input for spare parts lists, tool selection and vendor scope clarification related to commissioning tasks.
Participate in post-project reviews and lessons-learned workshops to refine commissioning strategies, reduce risk and optimize future project delivery.
Assist in the preparation and maintenance of asset registration data, test intervals and maintenance recommendations for O&M teams.
Provide on-call technical support for operational issues during early stages of plant operation and warranty periods.
Mentor junior commissioning engineers and coordinate practical training sessions to build team capability and succession.
Help develop project-specific safety procedures and verify that electrical isolation and lockout-tagout practices are implemented correctly during commissioning activities.
Liaise with client stakeholders to schedule and document system operational tests, operational readiness reviews and formal handover milestones.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proven experience commissioning HV/MV/LV electrical systems including switchgear (GIS/AIS), transformers, MCCs, and distribution networks.
Protection and control expertise: relay setting, testing and coordination for relays (SEL, ABB, Schneider, GE) and experience with relay test equipment (Omicron, Doble, Megger).
PLC/RTU/DCS commissioning experience; ability to read ladder logic/structured text and perform I/O checks, interlock validation and HMI/SCADA integration.
Strong understanding of protection coordination studies, short-circuit and load flow fundamentals, and the ability to interpret power system study outputs.
Hands-on testing skills: insulation resistance (megger), hipot testing, TDR, cable sheath testing, clamp meters, power analyzers and oscillography analysis.
Knowledge of generator set commissioning and synchronization, excitation/gov testing, load sharing and black-start procedures.
Experience with battery and UPS commissioning, including capacity testing, battery string balancing and transfer testing.
Familiarity with motor commissioning: VSD checks, soft starter configuration, motor protection and starting current management.
Ability to prepare, execute and document FAT/SAT/ITP test plans, commissioning dossiers, and produce compliant test certificates and final reports.
Proficiency with engineering software and tools such as AutoCAD, ETAP, SKM, CYME, MATLAB (basic), MS Office (Excel for test records) and commissioning/test data capture tools.
Competency in reading single-line diagrams, wiring schematics, cable schedules, panel layouts and P&IDs.
Strong knowledge of electrical codes and standards (IEC, NEC, IEEE) and local utility requirements relating to earthing, protection and interconnection.
Experience with site safety and electrical isolation procedures, arc flash assessment and permit-to-work systems; relevant HSE certifications (NEBOSH, IOSH) are advantageous.
Ability to perform root cause analysis on commissioning failures and implement corrective technical actions and preventive measures.
Experience coordinating factory witness tests, vendor technical queries, and supervising subcontractor workmanship during onsite commissioning.

Soft Skills

Clear and persuasive communication skills for client-facing acceptance tests, technical clarifications and cross-discipline coordination.
Strong organizational skills with attention to detail for managing complex test documentation, multiple test cases and commissioning checkpoints.
Problem-solving and analytical mindset to diagnose intermittent faults, interpret test data and propose robust remedial measures.
Leadership and team coordination ability to manage small commissioning teams, rostering and subcontractor supervision under schedule pressure.
Time management and prioritization skills to balance concurrent commissioning activities, outages and critical path milestones.
Adaptability and resilience to work in changing site conditions, shift rosters or remote/field environments.
Stakeholder management and negotiation skills to align client expectations, contractor scopes and vendor resources.
Mentoring and coaching capability to develop junior staff and build commissioning competency within the project team.
Professionalism and customer orientation during handover, training sessions and acceptance test demonstrations.
Meticulous documentation habit to ensure traceability, audit readiness and compliance for final client deliverables.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree in Electrical Power Systems or related specialization.
Professional qualifications such as Chartered Engineer (CEng), IEEE membership or equivalent industry certifications.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Electrical Engineering
Power Systems Engineering
Control & Instrumentation
Renewable Energy Engineering
Industrial Automation

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–12 years (depending on seniority of role)

Preferred:

3–5 years experience for mid-level Electrical Commissioning Engineer roles with demonstrable field commissioning experience.
6–12+ years for Senior Commissioning or Lead positions with proven track record in large-scale HV/MV/LV projects, substations, power plants, industrial facilities or renewable energy farms.
Prior experience on EPC projects, direct client handover, or utility interfacing is highly desirable.

Additional desirable credentials: vendor-specific training (Siemens/ABB/Schneider protection and switchgear), relay testing course certification, NEBOSH or site safety certificate, and demonstrable experience using Omicron/Doble test sets and commissioning software.