CCUG – Combined Cycle Users Group

The Combined Cycle Users Group (CCUG) was launched in fall 2011, at its first meeting in San Antonio, as an independent, user-directed group to serve owner/operators of combined-cycle, combined heat and power (CHP), and cogeneration plants. The CCUG is distinguished by the logo shown here and not affiliated with any other group of the same or similar name, nor is it associated with any other industry event.

The organization’s meetings are dedicated to formal presentations and attendee-driven discussion sessions focusing on the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the integrated plant. Additional topics addressed include NERC and other regulatory impacts on planned operation, environmental rulemakings, plant mods to achieve performance goals, safety initiatives, professional development, skills training, etc.

Combined Cycle Users Group Steering Committee

Photo taken: 2017 Conference in Phoenix, AZ
Left to right: Jimmy Daghlian, NV Energy; Robert Mash, Puget Sound Energy; Dr. Robert Mayfield, Tenaska; Phyllis Gassert, Talen Energy; Steve Royall, PG&E; John Baker, City of Riverside Public Utilities; Brian Fretwell, Calpine

2018 Chair: Phyllis Gassert, Talen Energy
2018 Vice Chair: Brian Fretwell, Calpine Corporation

The success of our user group is due to our members and to the industry leaders who have volunteered their time.

 

John Baker
Utilities Generation Plant Manager Clearwater Cogeneration Plant City of Riverside Public Utilities

Prior to joining the City, John was Operations & Maintenance Manager for Calpine Corporation Bethpage Energy Center in Hicksville, NY, were he was responsible for two combined cycle plants and one simple cycle peaker. He started his power career with Calpine in Watsonville, CA. Later working at the company’s Agnews and Los Esteros facilities before moving to the east coast. Prior to Calpine, John was in boiler operations at Foster Wheeler Energy Corp in Martinez, CA. John has been with the power industry for twenty seven years.

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Jimmy Daghlian
Director, Generation Support, NVEnergy

Jimmy’s career started working for Alstom as a field service engineer before working at PacifiCorp as their corporate combustion engineer. After a brief stint with Clyde Bergemann in burner project development, Jimmy worked in Morocco as engineering support for TAQA Global before moving back to the US. Jimmy’s expertise is mainly in boiler & HRSG systems. He currently holds the Director, Generation Support position at NVEnergy working predominantly on combined cycle power plants. He has a BS and MS degree in chemical engineering from University of Utah and an MBA from Westminster College.

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Brian Fretwell – 2018 Vice Chair
Director, Mechanical Services – Engineering & Construction, Calpine Corporation

Brian Fretwell is a Director of Mechanical Services in Calpine Corporation’s Engineering and Construction group. He has been with Calpine for over 13 year where he has provided engineering, project management and field technical advisory services for its gas fired fleet. He currently manages several compliance and reliability initiatives and programs including: Boiler & Pressure Vessel Compliance, Catalyst Management, Covered Piping Systems (High Energy Piping) Assessment Program and Heat Recovery Steam Generator Assessment Program. Prior to joining Calpine, he was with Chevron USA Products at one of its California refineries. He was with Chevron for 11 years where he held a variety of engineering and management positions including Operations Assistant, Project Engineer, Lead Engineer, Plant Support Engineer and Process Hazards Analysis Coordinator. Brian holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington. He is a licensed Professional Engineer (Mechanical Engineering) in California.

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Phyllis Gassert – 2018 Chair
Asset Manager, Northeast Region, Talen Energy

Phyllis’s career began as a design engineer for WorleyParsons in Reading, PA in the mechanical engineering department. She then joined Ontelaunee Energy Center in Reading, PA, owned by Dynegy, as the Senior Plant Engineer. Phyllis moved to Talen Energy as the Fossil and Hydro Group Outage Manager in Allentown, PA. Her current role at Talen Energy is the Asset Manager of the Northeast Region. Her overall power experience spans 16 years in combined-cycle activities, such as HRSG upgrades, outage planning of CT Majors, LTSA management, and business/budget planning. Phyllis holds a BS degree in Mathematics from Davis & Elkins College as well as a BS in Mechanical Engineering from West Virginia University.

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Steven Hilger, PE
Plant Manager – Dogwood Energy Facility, NAES Corporation

Bio coming soon…

Committee member since 2018

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Aaron Kitzmiller
Dynegy

Bio coming soon…

Committee member since 2018

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Robert Mash
Operations & Maintenance Supervisor, Puget Sound Energy, Mint Farm Generating Station

Robert is an Operations and Maintenance Supervisor with Puget Sound Energy and has over 27 years of power generation experience. He started his career in the U.S. Navy as a Boiler Technician. Robert spent several years with Calpine and General Electric participating in the construction, commissioning and commercial operation of simple cycle and combined cycle plants ranging from 310 MW to 1214 MW. He is also a member of the Cowlitz County Local Emergency Planning Committee.
Committee member since 2017

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Ben Stanley
Plant Manager, DGC Operations, LLC

Currently the Plant Manager at the Valley Energy Center in Wawayanda, NY (a 680MW combined cycle facility). Ben has over 20 years of experience in geothermal, hydroelectric, simple cycle, combined cycle, merchant, municipal and large scale utility electrical generating facilities. Ben has been involved with the construction, commissioning and operations of over 2800MW’s of combined cycle generation on the west and east coasts with DGC Operations, Pacific Gas and Electric, Roseville Electric and Calpine.
Committee member since 2018

Mission Statement for the Combined Cycle Users Group

Our aim is to be the predominant combined cycle users group by serving in an exceptional manner the interests of Users, customers and the public by pursuing progressive business strategies by integrating our growing knowledge on plant operations and maintenance, customer needs, user-industries and engineering applications.

This site is managed by Users for Users!

Open Conference Details

Individual Achievement recognition is earned by industry professionals who have demonstrated excellence throughout their careers in the design, construction, management, operation, and/or maintenance of generating facilities powered by gas and/or steam turbines.

2018 Award Nomination Form

Deadline to submit a nomination form is Thursday, May 24, 2018.