Maya Knauth

With extensive experience in the energy, power and utilities industries, I have acquired advanced skills in regulatory, market surveillance and compliance, economic analysis, forecasting load and market prices, revenue and cost modelling, financial settlement algorithms and corporate performance. While I worked for two of the largest System Operators in North America, I've also performed exceptional work for provincial and municipal governments, power producers and power distributors in energy management, policy analysis and compliance matters. Through my work, and exceptional attention to technical and financial detail, I've identified and lead investigations into numerous issues and keep senior management informed with reports and briefings.

To better analyze large data sets and information, I build statistical models and automate algorithms which are designed to streamline the process to make sense, assess and track the data. I am proficient in SQL, VB, MS Access, Excel and other programming languages to analyze and manage large datasets. I have a degree in economics and certificates in both energy management and environmental science.

Additionally, I am enrolled in an Executive MBA part-time remote program in the evening through a Canadian University that I expect to complete next year.

Regulatory Energy Analyst/Advisor - managerial - Battle River Power Coop - Camrose

(2023-01 - 2024-12)

• Provided input to company's plans and directions regarding the purchase and sale of electricity.
• Performed operation and regulatory procedures, including energy rate calculations, forecast revenues and expenses of electricity by month. Prepared monthly calculations for transmission/distribution rates.
• Built and summarized large datasets to identify trends, develop innovative pricing and program structures, estimate utility billing impacts and customer behaviour changes, and develop cost allocation factors. Trained the billing staff on new tools that I built – streamlining process from hours to minutes.
• Developed statistical method and build process for preparing forecasts for various services, and the impact of line losses.
• Oversaw analytical projects, including the development and updates of business intelligence models, scenario analysis to support budget projections, and rate design analytics.
• Monitored and review AUC hearings and filings that have implications to Battle River Power Coop's rate design and asset value. Prepare material and submission of AUC application.
• Ensured BRPC's rate calculation for compliance matters.
• Built process automation for the utility billing department that streamlined the process – reducing processing time from hours to minutes.

Energy economist/Power market and Financial modeller - Capital Power Corp - Edmonton

(2019-01 - 2022-12)

• Led the planning and execution of the 20-year long-term corporate projections and gross margins for the Ontario assets. Estimated valuations for assets.
• Designed power market simulation models to project future electricity prices and dispatches for natural gas assets in both the Ontario and Alberta electricity markets.
• Monitored electricity markets throughout North America to keep abreast of market conditions and issues affecting asset performance and valuation.
• Identified opportunities to Capital Power that increased their revenue.
• Assessed economic conditions in oil and gas markets, and projected macro economic fundamental drivers.
• Wrote numerous reports relating to geopolitical issues affecting the economy and energy markets in North America.
• Advise on climate change issues and provide GHG reporting for gas assets.
• Reported on regulatory and compliance matters affecting Capital Power's business.
• Built models around future energy markets, such a blue hydrogen, and the economic benefits they would have on Alberta's economy.

Senior Policy Advisor – Capacity Market - Department of Energy - Edmonton

(2017-01 - 2019-12)

Capacity Market was cancelled in 2019

• Designed and led analysis around important policies issues relating to a new Capacity/Electricity Market intended for Alberta, and provided valuable advice to senior management on design issues.
• Provided expert advice around complex technical designs to the system operator (AESO) and market surveillance administrator (MSA) so they can be better prepared for designing and monitoring the technical aspect of the Capacity Market.
• Provided extensive training on electricity markets to management and staff.
• Oversaw the work of analysts and helped them complete documents to stakeholders and market participants relating to policy design.
• Regularly briefed management on working group discussions and important technical issues.
• Assisted in the analysis and reporting of balancing pool and PPA issues.

Energy Financial Analyst and Forecaster - Municipal governments in the GTA - Greater Toronto Area

(2013-01 - 2016-12)

• Prepared short- and long-term Energy Budgets for publicly owed facilities/units, including water and wastewater treatment plants and solid waste facilities – the wastewater treatment plant's effluent was turned into energy.
• Streamlined the process of modelling future load for budget preparation – improved the process of running the forecast from months to weeks.
• Prepared 10-year forecast of utility costs for payback of various short and long term intended projects to reduce consumption.
• Designed and built systems and algorithms for assessing electricity usage and efficiency opportunities.
• Modelled electricity and gas consumption and price forecasts for the entire end-to-end forecast process. Reduced forecast error by 70%.
• Built an energy data management and reporting system for thousands of electricity and natural gas accounts for reporting and monitoring energy usage.
• Identified and investigated over 150GWh in utility billing and data entry errors, leading to significant savings. Identified errors in billing from utilities, and sent notice of disagreements to local distribution companies.
• Provided training to management on Class A and B for large consumers; helped save $300,000 for water treatment resource after educating management and plant operators the requirements necessary to benefit from Class A.
• Assisted with process improvements in waste management and recycling programs.
• Assisted with implementing other energy conservation and efficiency programs.

Market Mitigation Economist - New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) - New York, USA

(2011-01 - 2012-12)

• Wrote economic reports on wholesale electricity markets.
• Monitored and identified issues in the Installed Capacity (ICAP), Special Case Resources (SCRs) and Transmission Congestion Contracts (TCC) markets for anomalous behaviours in the market - which led to the identification of over $5 million in invalid payments.
• Built a net revenue model to forecast revenue and production cost, including fuel price analysis, for various generators – model proved to be within 1% of actual net revenue when compared to historical data. Model used to estimate going forward costs (GFCs) for comparing mothballing or retirement scenarios.
• Analyzed and identified import and export transactions leading to arbitrage opportunities and possible gaming risk; identified $4 million in questionable transactions.
• Built in-house tools for time management and accuracy of internal processes.
• Oversaw the work of analysts and helped simplify their analysis.
• Presented to staff and management issues in other electricity markets.

Senior Market Surveillance Analyst (Market Assessment and Compliance) - Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) - Mississauga

(1999-01 - 2011-12)

• Performed numerous electricity market analysis that were used to help improve Ontario's wholesale electricity market since the market opened in 2002.
• Took on the role of lead analyst for identifying, assessing and investigating Local Market Power (LMP) cases and other settlement related payments.
• Through my work of identifying and analyzing payments, I brought back $150 million in anomalous payments to market participant.
• Designed and developed several in-house monitoring and mitigation algorithms and tools to identify and track anomalous behaviour in pricing strategies. Saved the IESO in external consultant cost.
• Subject Matter Expert in settlement payments and adjustment equations.
• Identified corrective actions as needed to comply with the Ontario Market Rules and prepared written recommendations for action based on analysis and interpretation of data.
• Regularly identified compliance issues with market participant operations.
• Automated processes to ensure data integrity and to accurately perform calculations for estimating and finalizing settlement adjustments.

Degree - Economics/Statistics - University of Toronto

Executive MBA - University of Frede (2026-01)