Good company - Transmission System Operator Trans Bay Cable Employee Review

Great company to work for.

Lots of hours during week

N/A. Just filling to satisfy 5 word minimum

Enough is Enough. The failure of leadership at Trans Bay Cable, a Nextera Transmission Subsidiary I am writing to the leadership of Nextera, specifically the leadership outside of Nextera Transmission. It has been almost 2 years now since Trans Bay Cable (TBC) was integrated into the Nextera organization. And since then, there has been nothing but bad things that have occurred at TBC, and I am asking the leadership outside of Nextera Transmission to take a hard look and investigate these facts, because everyone in the Nextera Transmission leadership up to and including Eric and Kerri have done NOTHING to help the talented folks at TBC. Eric and Kerri are just the worst. They listened to our concerns approximately 4 months after the initial integration and again about 1.5 years later. There have been ZERO changes with respect to improving the morale and workload at TBC. Here are the facts that contributed to the failure of TBC’s leadership in promoting a healthy organization. 1. All TBC personnel were given a small bump up in pay as part of the integration to Nextera. However, with the health care program that Nextera provides is significantly lower in quality as compared to what it was prior to the acquisition; with some employees now paying way more in premiums and medical bills. Nextera leadership did not provide the study analysis on making “TBC personnel whole” and ultimately proved that it did not make TBC whole and made things significantly worse. A few employees are now working paycheck-to-paycheck because of the long-term medical treatment incurred before the acquisition and the addition of mental health treatment as a result of Nextera’s high stress environment. Remember that TBC personnel live in the Bay Area, California, where the cost of living is significantly higher than in Florida. 2. Increase in requirements, increase in projects and a lack of resources. Operations Engineers (OE) and Operations Maintenance and Technicians (OMT) have slowly but methodically digressed from their original written responsibilities to now managing and building capital projects. With the increased responsibilities in managing projects comes with a deterioration of performing compliance related tasks and what these OE/OMT signed up for! There have been ZERO professional development in the past 2 years. The closest professional development given was a sub-standard “Project Management” training so the OE/OMT can better manage the capital projects and to update leadership with the budgets associated with the projects. No one in the TBC/Nextera’s leadership actually cares about the operational status or the MW throughput. I find it ironic when the Operations leadership focuses on these Capital Projects and less on Operations and Compliance. At one point TBC had contracted a Project Manager, and there is no plan in hiring another one in the near future. Eric Gleason’s answer to this was “we will worry about the resources later.” It has been 1.5 years since he said this. So where are the resources? Why are the OE/OMT performing these tasks? Note: They say that they have a PM in queue, but it is the same answer for the past 1.5 years. 3. Addition of the Principal Engineer to support boat and barge operations. TBC is a 400 MW transmission plant. Let me repeat that, so it can sink it. A 400 MW plant. The leadership at TBC felt it was imperative to buy a boat and barge in the event of a damaged HVDC cable. With TBC and Nextera leadership focused on Capital Projects (and less on personnel, see #1), TBC easily converted the 4th budgeted OE to a Principal Engineer (higher pay compared to the other OE) instead to manage the boat and barge. Note that this Principal Engineer has ZERO transmission/electric/compliance experience or responsibilities. Again, all for a 400 MW plant! 4. No Safety Manager since April 2020. Since then, TBC has performed a planned outage, and TBC personnel were augmented to perform safety related duties and compliance throughout the year. There is no plan in hiring a new Safety Manager. 5. Publicly praise an individual. Then slam the same individual during performance reviews. Performance reviews are deliberately set 2 months before bonus season for a reason. 6. Nine full-time personnel voluntarily/involuntary left TBC since acquisition. That is a reduction of over 30% of the total work force at TBC. I ask that any leadership outside of Nextera Transmission to come out to TBC and validate these concerns. I also ask any HR outside of Nextera Transmission to interview the personnel at TBC, because it is obvious that people like Lem, Mahogany, Kerri or Eric have not told you the ins-and-outs of this once great company. I fear that in 2021, more people will exit (voluntarily or by force) as compared to 2020. A person can only tolerate so much torture and the breaking point is close for some personnel. Enough is enough. Eric and Kerri have heard our concerns and have done NOTHING to help us out. Nextera Transmission leadership’s focus is to push out as many Capital Projects at TBC, while minimizing the O&M costs, which means, more work hours for the OE/OMT and provide a higher-cost Health Insurance to discourage its use. Further, if you are not a “team player,” and if you do not support the centralization of Nextera’s vision and strategic goals, then you are marked as an outsider and will be driven out. I ask that you look at any grievances submitted to HR in the past 1.5 years and validate that these grievances were resolved to the satisfaction of the griever. Spoiler Alert: nope…you grieve, you will feel the wrath of reprisal and repercussions. We ask that: Nextera Executives and HR outside of Nextera’s Transmission organization to speak with all of the individual contributors, unfiltered, and hear their side of the story. Don’t take my word for it. See for yourself. “TBC becomes whole” as promised, with a transparent analysis on the comprehensive package that factors in the higher cost health insurance, to include backpay since July 16th, 2019 (a date that will live in infamy). Addition of resources to include a true Project Manager and Analyst. Hire to establish full OE/OMT strength. And no, do not send another Nextera weenie just to fill the gap like what they have been doing for the past 1.5 years. Hire external. In addition, consider internal personnel for promotions when vacancies become available. Shift all Capital Projects responsibilities to the Project Manager and Analyst. A formal apology from Eric and Kerri in the presence of other Nextera Executives. All OE/OMT to be paid true on an hourly basis with overtime if it exceeds an 8 hour day. Further, OE/OMT should be evaluated to join a union without any negative pressure from immediate supervision. Nextera’s Unwritten Philosophy on TBC Personnel: 1. Be quiet and do your f..kng job. 2. It’s ok to tell people that we support raising concerns, but in reality, we don’t like that. 3. Keep gapping personnel because you have the remaining employees to make up for all those tasks. 4. Safety…schmafety 5. Don’t worry, TBC is just a Capital Project that we will sell in the next few years. Will let the next guy worry about personnel morale. 6. Leaders shall lead using fear, sarcasm and intimidation. Please take note that if leadership were to terminate any TBC personnel “for cause” within a reasonable time of the publication of this letter; that you should not be surprised that raising concerns in this organization WILL have retributions and reprisals. Further if any TBC/Nextera leadership under Eric comes to you via phone or an all-hands meeting to discuss this letter; please ensure that you document and take minutes to record any possible/imminent repercussion. This will help you legally if you take notes. TBC under Nextera Transmission leadership is just the worst. Do not apply for any position at TBC until positive changes have occurred.