John R. Bitler, Vice President & Senior Advisor
John has over 40 years of experience in the energy industry encompassing a wide range of fuel, power, and emissions control issues. Mr. Bitler advises utilities, generators, state regulatory agencies, and end-users on diverse matters pertaining to fuel markets, competitive power procurement administration, and emissions control technology. He is responsible for LAI’s fuel market analysis activities and has directed wholesale power solicitations on behalf of the Illinois Power Agency to serve eligible retail customers of the Ameren Illinois Company. Mr. Bitler has submitted expert testimony before FERC and state regulatory agencies throughout the U.S. on behalf of utilities, industrial end-users and state entities.
Prior to joining LAI in 1992, Mr. Bitler was President of Environmental Catalyst Consultants, Inc., where he was responsible for engagements assessing the feasibility of catalytic emissions control processes. He previously was an Executive Consultant at Stone & Webster Management Consultants. His industry experience includes commercial development and planning positions at InterNorth, Inc. and engineering positions at U.S. Steel Corporation. Mr. Bitler holds a B.S. degree in Mineral Economics from The Pennsylvania State University and an M.S. degree from The University of Pittsburgh in Mining Engineering.
Seth G. Parker, Senior Advisor
Seth is an economics and financial manager with 34 years of experience in wholesale market design, price forecasting, power and transmission project economics, credit and collateral issues, and the development, valuation, and financing of both conventional and renewable resources. Mr. Parker has assisted the NYISO with updating the Spot Capacity Market demand curve parameters and generation companies on capacity market design in multiple markets. Mr. Parker has testified before state regulatory commissions, in state and federal courts, and before FERC on diverse matters pertaining to offshore wind and renewable resources, integrated resource planning, wholesale procurement practices, power plant economics, financial issues, and competitive market design.
Prior to joining LAI in 1998, Mr. Parker was a Vice President of Stone & Webster Management Consultants where he conducted due diligence in support of over $6 billion of domestic and overseas power project debt. He held positions at J. Makowski Associates, ThermoElectron Energy Systems, and in the Treasurer’s Office at Pacific Gas & Electric. Mr. Parker received a Sc.B. from Brown University in Applied Mathematics / Economics and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School in Operations Research / Finance. He has completed additional coursework in geopolitics at the Kennedy School, Harvard University.
Richard L. Carlson, Ph.D., Senior Advisor
Richard has 34 years of experience as a consultant, software product manager, model developer, and research economist. He advises utilities, generators, investors, and regulatory agencies on a wide range of issues, including integrated resource planning, generation asset valuation, environmental compliance, power and fuel supply competitive procurement, portfolio risk management and policy, commodity price forecasting, market design and behavior, merger impacts, employment impacts, and rates setting. Dr. Carlson is experienced in econometric, simulation, and optimization modeling. He led development of commercial software applications used for integrated resource planning, portfolio risk management, and employment impacts analysis. Dr. Carlson has performed independent market analyses in support of financing of thermal and wind generation resources, independent evaluations of utility procurements of power and gas contracts, and electric and gas infrastructure expansion applications. Dr. Carlson has testified in electric and gas company cases in Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, and Ontario, and has submitted expert testimony to FERC.
Prior to joining LAI in 2008, Dr. Carlson was a Vice President at Ventyx, where he was a software product manager of power company planning and risk applications, and previously was a senior project manager in the consulting division. He previously was an economics consultant at two Boston-based companies, an assistant professor at Queens College in New York, and a research associate at Washington University. Dr. Carlson received a B.S. with distinction from Washington State University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Resource Economics from the University of Wisconsin.
Philip L. Curlett, P.E., Manager – Energy Systems Analysis
Phil has close to 40 years of experience in the energy industry with a broad background in engineering, development, and financing of generation facilities and infrastructure projects. Mr. Curlett has conducted technical performance and project financial analyses for developers, lenders, and power purchasers, as well as for utilities and government agencies. He has also developed RFPs and managed bid evaluations for purchased power and EPC solicitations. He has been active in many aspects of utility deregulation and privatization of infrastructure services in North America and several developing countries. Mr. Curlett is a leading expert in energy systems modeling and assessment. He has operated fluid flow models of natural gas pipeline systems for regional deliverability assessments and chronological power production simulation models for energy price forecasting.
Prior to joining LAI in 2000, Mr. Curlett was a Project Development Manager at Stone & Webster Engineering Corporation where he also held positions in the Heat Balance, Technical Studies, and Advanced Technologies groups. Mr. Curlett received a combined B.A. and B.S. degree in Economics and Mechanical Engineering from Bucknell University. He holds an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Bucknell and an M.B.A. from Babson College, and is a registered professional engineer in Massachusetts.
Michael C. Lints, P.E., Ph.D., Manager – Power Technology
Mike has over 25 years of experience in energy technology assessment, operational analysis, and applying advanced modeling techniques. Dr. Lints’ expertise includes a variety of fossil power generation technologies, in particular, advanced turbine designs, waste coal, conventional coal, and biomass, as well as heat transfer, plant O&M standards, and engineering economics. Dr. Lints has formulated mathematical models to account for the price effects attributable to merchant exit, volatility, and plant optionality; has applied decision risk analysis to LAI’s litigation support services; and has applied linear programming techniques to optimize competitive power procurements. He has conducted pipeline network pressure / flow simulations and optimization analyses of regional gas pipeline delivery capability and bulk power security throughout the Northeast. Dr. Lints has submitted expert testimony before state regulatory commissions.
Prior to joining LAI in 1990, Dr. Lints was President of Rochester Engineering. He is a registered professional engineer in New York. Dr. Lints holds a B.S. and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Edward K. Tsikirayi, Managing Consultant
Ed has 22 years of bulk power planning and operations experience, including transmission-constrained reliability assessments and competitive market production simulations. He utilizes LAI’s suite of chronological simulation and transmission load flow models to conduct resource adequacy assessments, energy price forecasts, and load / optimal power flow analysis. Mr. Tsikirayi has conducted numerous multi-regional and inter-market price forecasts for LAI clients, evaluated the need for proposed transmission upgrades and their impacts on inter-zonal transfer limits, assessed transmission development and ISO/RTO market issues, and quantified capacity deliverability. He has also assisted clients in power procurement design and administration, developing Requests for Proposals, interpreting market rules, and providing on-site oversight.
Prior to joining LAI, Mr. Tsikirayi was Lead Engineer for Power Supply and Reliability Planning with ISO-NE where he performed reliability assessments, participated in ISO-NE’s Regional Transmission Expansion Planning Process, and represented ISO-NE on the NPCC CP-8 working group. Prior to ISO-NE, Mr. Tsikirayi worked as Principal Engineer for Generation Expansion Planning at the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority and was the utility’s representative on the Southern African Power Pool’s Generation Planning Working Group. Mr. Tsikirayi received his B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the Moscow Power Engineering Institute.
David A. Molin, Ph.D., Managing Consultant
David has 12 years of economics and energy consulting experience. Dr. Molin is experienced in econometric and optimization modeling, wholesale electric market design, price forecasting and valuation. He has been responsible for quantitative analysis on diverse matters pertaining to wholesale competition in regional energy markets. His analyses have supported the submission of expert testimony at FERC and state regulatory commissions. Davis is an integral part of LAI’s team efforts on litigation support, renewable energy technology assessment, integrated resource planning, market power assessment and supply chain analysis.
Prior to joining LAI, Dr. Molin was an economics consultant focused on energy and competition at Compass Lexecon and Quantitative Economic Solutions. Dr. Molin received a B.A. in Math and Economics from the University of Chicago and his Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University.
Richard J. Sweet, Executive Consultant
Richard has conducted analyses involving price effects, market power, and anti-competitive behavior, and supported expert testimony in several litigation proceedings arising from the California electricity crisis of 2000-2001. He has prepared numerous Electric Utility Market-Based Rate analyses and evaluated the competitive impacts of mergers and acquisitions on wholesale power and gas markets. Mr. Sweet has evaluated the economic viability of coal-fired power plants and provided modeling support to assist with wholesale supply procurements. He has assisted with calculating reference capacity and energy price inputs, to be integrated into a NYSERDA financial model for REC pricing.
Prior to joining LAI, Mr. Sweet worked for The Brattle Group. He received his B.A. degree in Economics and Mathematics Minor from St. Lawrence University.
Nicolas H. Baldenko, Executive Consultant
Nic is a transmission planner with expertise in production cost modeling, interconnection evaluations, and electric transmission policy initiatives.
Prior to joining LAI, Mr. Baldenko worked for Eversource Energy and Ventolines. He received his B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering and Mathematics Minor from the University of Buffalo and his M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Bridgeport.
Tiago V. Costa, Senior Consultant
Tiago provides research and analytic support. Mr. Costa has developed proposals and determined the scope of work, costs, and energy savings for energy conservation projects. He has worked with utility company representatives on utility incentive programs and has developed a state-of-the-art assessment to analyze performance and design, economics, externalities, and potential policies of tidal power projects.
Prior to joining LAI in 2014, Mr. Costa was an energy engineer with Guardian Energy Management Solutions. He received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University where his courses included Power Generation Systems. He also completed coursework in Business Administration at the Federal University of Minas Gerais.
Jeremy T. Slovin, Senior Consultant
Jeremy provides research, quantitative analysis, and modeling support for client engagements focused on electricity procurement, offshore wind issues, and natural gas market dynamics. He has experience with econometric modeling and has written programs to process and analyze large datasets in support of electric simulation models. Mr. Slovin has also drafted expert witness testimony and provided other assistance in regulatory matters. He has extensive experience with Stata, S&P Global Market Intelligence and Bloomberg Terminal.
Mr. Slovin received a B.S. in Economics and Environmental Science from Dickinson College. He also spent a semester studying abroad at the University of East Anglia.
Marcos Quispe, Senior Consultant
Marcos has experience in the areas of regulation and policy development of electricity, natural gas, and renewable energy markets / programs. Mr. Quispe conducts quantitative analysis and research to support offshore wind procurements, distributed energy assessments and integrated resource planning.
Prior to joining LAI, he worked for state regulatory commissions in Connecticut, California and Massachusetts in the area of resource planning, distributed resources, electric storage, and electric vehicles. He reviewed the cost-effectiveness and ratepayer impacts of MA’s OSW procurements, including the quantitative models and assumptions for energy, capacity, and RECs, and assessed procurement strategies and proposed tariff modifications.
Turner Yardley, Senior Consultant
wty@levitan.com
Turner has experience in natural gas procurement, scheduling, demand forecasting, and market analysis. Mr. Yardley provides research and analytic support for client engagements focused on natural gas markets and offshore wind procurement.
Prior to joining LAI in 2023, Mr. Yardley was a Gas Supply Portfolio Analyst with Eversource Energy. He received his B.A. in Economics and Computer Science minor from Tufts University.
Sokanha Ly, Senior Consultant
sly@levitan.com
Sokanha contributes to diverse client projects, specializing in techno-economic analysis and electric simulation modeling. Her expertise includes electric market design, electricity procurement, offshore wind state solicitation, and electric-natural gas studies. She actively assists in calculating emission benefits for offshore wind projects as part of benefit-cost analysis.
Prior to joining LAI, Sokanha served as a project engineer for the City of Orlando, focusing on system design and financial analysis for city facilities such as rooftops and floating solar with battery systems. She also interned at EDF Renewables, quantifying community opposition to large-scale renewable energy development in the Midwestern United States. Sokanha holds an MSc in Energy Systems from Northeastern University under a Fulbright Scholarship, and a BSc in Civil Engineering from Paragon International University.
