John Chowdhury Currently NKSoft Consulting’s Managing Director. He has over 27 years of experience in the Power Utility industry. He has been responsible at NKSoft for bulk power (generation, transmission, and market operations) consulting; for IT systems integration and distribution automation / substation automation; and for telecommunications practices. His personal focus in recent years has been the application of Smart Grid and Transmission/Feeder automation technologies to system operations, and the integration of Electric Vehicles with grid operations and markets. He has also led efforts to develop Cyber Security and Risk Management strategies for transmission and market operators, and has developed technology / strategic plans for some of the market operators. He has developed Smart Grid and automation Road Maps for several large utilities in USA, Brazil, Philippines, India, and in Australia. John also has been providing consulting services to US Government Department of Energy (DOE), Brazilian Energy Commission, Peruvian Utility Regulators and Government Energy Commission in Philippines.

Previously, Mr. Chowdhury was Vice President of Utilities at IBM responsible for Smart Meters, Distribution Automation, CIS system, SCADA and GIS system, asset optimization, and corporate strategic initiatives including acquisitions and alliances in 2000-2002. Prior to that he served as the Principal of IBM l, a leading supplier of ISO and market systems and utility Energy Management and SCADA systems across the globe. Mr. Chowdhury’s professional involvement in energy deregulation spans the design and set-up of markets around the world, including consulting and software projects in Australia, Singapore, China, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the development of the IT systems for the ISOs in California and Texas. He has broad experience in transmission and distribution operations spanning over 20 years

He has been awarded “Top Energy Expert in Texas” in 2014 and again in 2015 by Dallas/Houston Business Journal. He is serving on the US Department of Energy "Energy Advisory Committee" and board of largest utility industry association UTC’s Smart Network Council. John also serves in the National Rural Electric Cooperatives (NRECA) board for Emerging Technologies. He also serves as industry advisor to the University of Tulsa’s Masters of Energy Program since 2012.

Areas of Expertise

Transmission and Distribution planning analysis, construction and testing (both OH and UG)

Substation planning analysis, construction and testing

Transmission technology selection and deployment

Business Case development

Generation interconnection studies

Environmental studies

Distrbution Automation (DA) and AMI

Energy Management System deployment