Business Details
50+ Years
experience
Power Engineering Experts Since 1968
Founded in 1968, ECE has dedicated five decades to delivering high-quality power engineering services to electric utilities. As a 100% employee-owned company since 1998, we combine deep industry expertise with a client-focused approach to serve Rural Utility Service Cooperatives, Investor-Owned Utilities, municipalities, and industrial clients. Our team of licensed professional engineers, land surveyors, and technical specialists provides comprehensive solutions for substations, transmission lines, distribution systems, and protection coordination. With corporate headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, and branch offices in South Carolina, we maintain engineering licenses across multiple states to support diverse project requirements. Our commitment to excellence is demonstrated through advanced technical capabilities, adherence to industry standards like NESC and RUS, and a proven track record of successful projects spanning transmission voltages up to 230kV.We specialize in complete project lifecycle management from initial design through construction oversight, utilizing cutting-edge software tools like PLS-CADD and WindMil. Our executive leadership team brings decades of hands-on experience in electrical engineering and operational management, ensuring every client engagement benefits from both technical proficiency and strategic insight. Through continuous investment in staff development and technology, we maintain our position as trusted advisors in power system engineering and infrastructure development.
Services
Substation Design
Transmission Engineering
Protection Coordination
Distribution Planning
System Analysis
Field Services
Siting Solutions
Right-of-Way Acquisition
Details
- Year established: 1968
Highlights and features
- We offer 50 years of specialized power engineering experience
- Our team includes multi-state licensed professional engineers
- We maintain employee-owned accountability since 1998
- We utilize industry-leading software like PLS-CADD and WindMil
- We provide full project lifecycle management from design to inspection
Services
Substation Design
ECE provides comprehensive substation design services for new construction and modification projects. Our engineers specialize in distribution substations, transmission breaker stations, and step-down stations up to 230kV. We handle complete project requirements including equipment specification, grounding analysis, environmental reporting, and construction documentation. Our team ensures compliance with industry standards while delivering customized solutions that meet specific client needs and operational requirements.
Transmission Engineering
Our transmission engineering services cover 35kV to 230kV power lines with expertise in wood, steel, and concrete structure design. We provide complete project packages including route planning, pole foundation analysis, and construction documentation. Our team manages transmission line relocations, attachment designs, and compliance with NESC and RUS standards, ensuring safe and efficient power delivery solutions for utility providers.
Protection & Coordination
ECE offers advanced protection and coordination services for power systems from 230kV transmission to distribution levels. Our capabilities include relay panel design, fault current analysis, coordination studies, and SCADA programming. We develop protection schemes for transmission lines, transformers, and distributed generation systems while providing arc flash studies and remedial action planning to enhance system reliability and safety.
Distribution Planning
We provide engineering services for 12.47kV and 25kV distribution systems including overhead and underground line design. Our team handles route planning, equipment procurement, and construction oversight while maintaining compliance with utility specifications. We develop RUS-compliant documentation packages and offer specialized services for utility relocations, work order inspections, and distribution automation solutions.
System Planning
Our system planning services focus on optimizing electrical infrastructure through comprehensive analysis and strategic development. Using advanced software tools like WindMil and CYME, we conduct load flow studies, capacitor placement analysis, and distributed generation interconnection studies. We develop long-range plans, conservation voltage reduction strategies, and system loss studies to help utilities maintain reliable service while managing growth and regulatory requirements.
People
Joshua R. Black
President/CEO
Licensed Professional Engineer in eight states with extensive experience in protection coordination and transmission planning. Graduated from UNC Charlotte with electrical engineering degree. Leads strategic direction and technical operations since 2006.
William Chris Crosby
Vice President/COO
Dual-licensed Professional Engineer and Land Surveyor in North and South Carolina. Clemson University graduate with expertise in transmission design and field services. Oversees day-to-day operations and project execution since 2009.
Questions
What engineering services does ECE specialize in?
ECE specializes in power engineering services including substation design, transmission line engineering, distribution system planning, and protection coordination for electric utilities.
How long has ECE been in business?
ECE has provided engineering services to electric utilities since 1968, with over 50 years of industry experience.
What geographic areas do you serve?
We primarily serve clients in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia with engineering licenses across multiple states.
Are you an employee-owned company?
Yes, ECE has been 100% employee-owned through an ESOP since 1998, aligning our team's commitment with client success.
What software tools do you use?
Our engineers utilize industry-standard software including PLS-CADD, WindMil, CYME, and AutoCAD for precise system modeling and design.
Do you handle complete project lifecycles?
Yes, we manage projects from initial design through construction oversight, including permitting, procurement, and final documentation.
