Rajesh Saha has 19 years of experience in the power sector, covering various functions and segments, including grid-connected HV power system design, power system protection philosophy and operations, control and protection systems of EHV grids, power quality applications, and HVDC. Prior to joining the Elia Group, he worked as Regional Director – APAC of ABB/Hitachi Energy, focusing on power quality system analysis and applications, and the delivery of ABB devices like STATCOM, SVC, static frequency converters, and DC solutions in HV grids and railway power systems. He also worked in Japan with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, overseeing the design and detailed engineering of power plant electrical systems and the grid connection EHV switchyard of larger combined cycle power plants (CCPP). Rajesh has hands-on field experience in testing and commissioning EHV substations, protection and control systems, and SCADA during his tenure at ABB.
Rajesh’s extensive experience also includes working in power system R&D at the Central Power Research Institute (CPRI), the power lab of the Government of India. Additionally, he served as a lead consultant at Fichtner Consulting Engineers, where he was responsible for project feasibility, design estimation, and costing of electrical systems for grid HV substations and thermal/renewable power plants. In his current role at Elia Grid International, Rajesh is the Managing Director and Regional Head for Southeast Asia. He has completed several significant assignments, such as conducting a study to screen potential cross-border interconnections to Peninsular Malaysia with ASEAN countries and developing technical and commercial planning for the electrification of offshore oil platforms for Petronas. Rajesh also led projects involving stakeholder management for JICA-funded STEP loan projects and the design and delivery of HVDC projects like the Sarawak STATCOM Tondong and the NEA 800kV UHVDC project.
Rajesh holds a Master of Business Administration from Christ University, Bangalore, India, and a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering from NIT Agartala, India. He is proficient in Bengali, Hindi, and English. His professional certifications include ETAP Training in power system modeling and ABB Project Management Training. Rajesh has received recognition from ASEAN power grid operators and awards from Mitsubishi Hitachi for his leadership in successfully completing power grid projects.