National Professional Electrical Engineer of the Year - Past Winners

2011 Winner - Mr Paul Blanchfield, MIEAust CPEng

                                                          The National Professional Electrical Engineer of the Year Award was presented to Mr Paul Blanchfield, MIEAust CPEng.

Paul is a Practice Leader in Protection and Metering with Sinclair Knight Merz, and is considered to be a senior technical authority with the organisation.

With over 27 years of industry experience, Paul has extensive knowledge and skill in power generation and transmission electrical design and commissioning, power system protection, control, earthing, and power station grid interfacin

2010 Winner - Mr Ken Brown

The 2010 winner of the National Professional Electrical Engineer of the Year Award will be presented to Fellow of Engineers Australia and chartered electrical engineer; Ken Brown.

Ken is a University of WA graduate and he holds the important position of general manager system management at Western Power. His is a very autonomous management role that includes operation of the southwest transmission and distribution systems within the electricity market framework. He has successfully survived a number of crises, such as the one resulting from the 2008 Varanus Island gas plant failure, which greatly affected electricity production.

This award is only in its second year and is a major award administered by the Electrical College of Engineers Australia. It recognises excellent current performance by a highly respected senior member of the College, someone the members of the profession can relate to in terms of the work performed. This person would also be someone who can be seen as a role model by young members, and who can be promoted to the community as a respected senior member of the electrical engineering profession.

2009 Winner - Mr Simon Bartlett FIEAust CPEng


(L) NPEEoY 2009 Simon Bartlett receiving this inaugural award from Electrical College Chair Albert Koenig (R)

The 2009 award is the inaugural year for this award and it was presented to Mr Simon Bartlett FIEAust CPEng. He attained a Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical, with Hons) at the University of Queensland in 1973 and then added a Bachelor of Science (Mathematics and Computing) in 1976.

As Powerlink's Chief Operating Officer, Simon is responsible for managing and coordinating all aspects of high voltage electricity transmission that includes 12,000 kilometres of high voltage transmission lines and more than 100 major substations throughout Queensland, since Powerlink provides, operates and maintains the essential "backbone" of Queensland's electricity grid. He is also Chair of the Australian Power Institute which plays a significant role in power engineering education.