The People at WRA
Whitfield Russell / Antoine Gamarra / Geneva Looker
Whitfield Russell
Whitfield A. Russell is an Electrical Engineer and President of Whitfield A. Russell and Associates, P.C., a corporate partner of Whitfield Russell Associates. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maine at Orono, a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland, and a Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University Law Center.
Mr. Russell is experienced in electric production and transmission planning, production and transmission operation, electric utility coordination services, power market analysis, ratemaking, and contract negotiation. Mr. Russell has been qualified as an expert witness in 27 states (and the District of Columbia) and has testified in more than 100 proceedings before state and federal Courts, Public Service Commissions, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and other administrative agencies. Mr. Russell has written and spoken extensively on matters relating to regulated electric utilities and competition between regulated and non-regulated electric suppliers.
From 1972 to 1976, Mr. Russell served as Engineer and subsequently as Chief Engineer, at the Division of Corporate Regulation of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Division administers the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935.
From 1971 to 1972, Mr. Russell was on the staff of the Federal Power Commission. He served as a consultant to staff attorneys in proceedings, and as an expert witness in an administrative proceeding before the Atomic Energy Commission. From 1969 to 1971, Mr. Russell served as an Associate Engineer in the System Planning Division of the Potomac Electric Power Company. At PEPCO, he conducted system studies of load flows and stability. He was also a member of numerous study groups concerned with planning and operation of the Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland Interconnection.
Selected Independent Power Experience
Has assisted Destec's power marketing efforts in Texas, Wisconsin, Florida, New Jersey, North Carolina, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, and in other places. Duties have included directing research to determine market needs and prices, determining transmission availability, determining availability of utility coordination services, and participation in direct marketing efforts.
Currently working with Mission Energy to secure transmission access for the output from two projects under favorable terms and conditions.
Currently working with large Gulf coast industrial user/generator to optimize electric power planning, minimize power supply costs, and negotiate optimal power supply relationship with local electric utility.
Performed market review and analysis for Exxon to develop the availability of markets with a need for power expected to be available, the prices which such markets were used to paying, and the availability of transmission access to such markets.
Worked for Cyprus Minerals in Minnesota to negotiate sale of power to NSP and to arrange transmission of such power across the MP&L system. Subsequently, supported efforts by Cyprus to sell generation facilities to NSP by providing negotiation services.
Supported efforts by a consortium lead by the Wing Group to purchase and resell an independent power facility in Virginia. Performed cost and feasibility analyses and helped design the final offer.
Worked for Phibro in Texas to address problems the firm was having with HL&P regarding the phase-in of inside-the-fence capacity and a phase out of purchases from HL&P, and the supply of back-up services.
Has testified on behalf of Destec in Texas regarding the availability and pricing of services needed by independent producers, such as transmission and coordination services, including reactive power, load following, back-up power, inadvertent interchange, scheduling and dispatch, and control area operations.
Antoine Gamarra
Antoine A. Gamarra is a Partner at Whitfield Russell Associates. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from San Jose State University.
Mr. Gamarra is experienced in load resource modeling, load flow modeling, production cost modeling, cost/benefit modeling, loss of load probability modeling, rate case issues, cost of service studies, rate design, tariff development, EWG applications, transmission rate development and avoided cost filings. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Gamarra was a Utility Engineer for the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). He testified and participated in numerous rate cases. Mr. Gamarra developed the current Working Cash practice used by the CPUC for small water utilities. While at the CPUC, Mr. Gamarra attended numerous seminars such as: Mergers and Acquisitions in the Utility Industry; Rate of Return and the Cost of Capital; Spot Gas and the Electric Generation Market; U.S. Natural Gas Industry; Marginal Pricing in the Utility Industry; and the Utility Ratemaking seminar co-sponsored by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC).
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Gamarra was a Patent Examiner on electro-mechanical switching for the U.S. Patent Office and a Mechanical Engineer for the San Jose Trolley Corporation.
Geneva Graham Looker
Geneva Graham Looker is a Senior Associate at Whitfield Russell Associates. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hope College, and a Master of Business Administration from George Washington University. Mrs. Looker has worked for the firm as an Associate, a Senior Associate and an Associated Consultant for more than 20 years.
Mrs. Looker has participated in many cases on behalf of WRA in a variety of functions. Her work has included preparation and critiques of numerous cost of service studies. She has led several of the firm's settlement negotiations at FERC on behalf of municipal utilities, and at the Bonneville Power Administration on behalf of Native American Tribes. She has managed the preparation of testimony and the firm's litigation support of lead attorneys in dozens of major proceedings before State and Federal courts, agencies and arbitration panels. Her work has included excess capacity determinations, replacement power cost calculations, research on refusals to transmit third party energy, development of generating unit performance standards and a cost/benefit analysis of a street lighting system purchase. She has also analyzed data and prepared spreadsheets and exhibits detailing the damages caused by breach of contract between utilities. Mrs. Looker has attended numerous seminars on Utility Regulation and Rate Design, presented by Public Utilities Reports, Inc., and Scott Hempling, Esq.
In addition to her work with WRA, Mrs. Looker has also worked at Martin Capital Management, the International Monetary Fund, and the American Public Power Association.