Nuclear Energy Expert Witnesses: 4

Dr. John N. O’Brien has over 45 years of experience in Energy Markets, Technology, and Regulation as a thought leader and as an expert in the analysis of energy economics, and promulgation and enforcement of energy laws and regulation. 

Before he began providing litigation support services, Dr. O'Brien spent 10 years as a Full Scientist at the US Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory in its Department of Nuclear Energy (1976-1985),13 years as founder and CEO of several significant energy companies (1985-1998), 25 years as a high-level energy consultant and advisor with several nationally recognized consulting firms advising substantial corporate entities (1998-Present), and 20 years providing energy-related expert litigation support.

Litigation Support - Dr. O'Brien is a highly experienced litigation support expert having been engaged as a primary expert witness and subject matter expert in over 25 different judicial actions as well as numerous administrative regulatory proceedings involving energy-related matters. His extensive prior history as a high-level advisor in the energy sector has contributed to the success of numerous judicial matters in which he has been engaged resulting in well over $3.5 Billion in judicial recoveries for his clients.

Dr. O'Brien possesses a very broad and deep level of expertise and extensive experience in the energy industry. He fully understands the details of energy regulatory economics as well as adherence to the applicable procedural and evidentiary requirements of judicial and regulatory litigation.

Areas of Expertise:

Economic Disputes Class Action Litigation Support Energy Commerce & Industries Renewable Energy Technologies, Economics & Regulation Climate Change Issues, Litigation and Liabilities Intellectual Property Protection Renewable Energy Financing, Regulation and Functioning Electric and Natural Gas Markets, Regulation and Related Infrastructure Renewable Energy Investment Analysis and Due Diligence Assessing Utility Investment in Infrastructure and Growth Strategies

Economic Regulation of Energy Generation and Utilities Energy Production, Delivery & End Uses Energy Conversion and Storage Technologies Securities Investment and Related Securities Fraud Investment Banking, Public Offerings and Divestiture Energy Sector Financial Analysis and Project Finance Commercial Energy Contract Requirements Power Purchase Agreements Small Modular Nuclear Reactor Applications Offshore Wind Generation Facility Applications

Mark O. Barnett, PhD, PE, BCEE has over 30 years of national and international Environmental Engineering and Science experience in industry, government, and academia ranging from water supply and sanitation in rural communities to nuclear waste disposal. He is currently a Professor of Environmental Engineering in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Auburn University.

Litigation Support - Dr. Barnett has served as an environmental expert witness-expert consultant on cases in administrative, federal, and state courts ranging from permit applications to toxic tort lawsuits. He has written expert reports, filed affidavits, been deposed, and given testimony. Further, he has extensive litigation experience from his service as an administrative judge with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Writing samples, transcripts, and references are available upon request.

Areas of Expertise:

Water and Wastewater Treatment Site Assessment and Remediation Soil and Groundwater Contamination Human Health Risk Assessments Contaminant Bioavailability Environmental Permits

Environmental Forensics Environmental and Aquatic Chemistry Radioactive and Hazardous Waste Management Nuclear Environmental Engineering Sustainable Design and Development Mining Impacts

Background Experience - Dr. Barnett is a licensed professional engineer and a board-certified member of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists. His technical research focuses on the chemical processes controlling water quality and contaminant behavior in natural and engineered systems. He has been a principal or co-principal investigator on seventeen grants totaling over $12 million, and he has published over fifty peer-reviewed journal articles, several book chapters, and a book that collectively have received over three-thousand citations.

Dr. Barnett has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and an M.S. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Tennessee and a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences and Engineering from the University of North Carolina. He has taught fundamental and applied courses in environmental and aquatic chemistry; water and wastewater treatment; environmental engineering principles and design; and sustainable design and development.

• Over 35 years of experience in Mechanical / Structural Engineering & Design, Failure Analysis, Product Liability, Industural Asbestos,Pressure Vessel & Boiler analysis and evaluation of mechanical and structural components.
• Extensive trial experience. Has been involved in multi-million dollar cases. Areas involved included:

  
  

  - Piping & pipe supports - Structural failure of products - Failure analysis - Industrial asbestos - Seismic analysis - Fire protection - Pressure vessels

  - Tanks - Construction - Heat transfer analysis - Environmental qualification of equipment - Welding - Product design - Patent information

• Expertise in developing litigation rate-case exhibits and detailed supporting testimony, and in organizing case documentation into easy-to-use computer databases for trial use.

Ole E. Haaland, PE, has thirty four years experience in Power Production, Design, Construction, and Commissioning, with 30+ years managing people and projects. Mr. Haaland's experience is in conventional, nuclear, and alternate fuel power plant mechanical and electrical systems. He has performed as Project Manager, Construction Manager, and Commissioning Manager for several Greenfield power projects.

Mr. Haaland held a senior reactor power operator's license and a number of senior engineering positions at the New York Power Authority prior to joining ANNA. Mr. Haaland received his BSME from the New York Institute of Technology and is a registered professional engineer in many states. He was recently elected to the EGSA Board of Directors for 2015-2017.

Litigation Support - Ole Haaland conducts root cause analysis investigations for counsel representing Plaintiff and Defense. When needed, he provides expert witness testimony for power plant design, construction, and operational failure issues and for parties involved in contract disputes.

Areas of Expertise:

Switchgear Voltage Regulators Turbine Generators Control Systems Hydro Generators Diesel Generators

Condensate Polishers Feed Water Heaters Main Condensers Moisture Separators Electrical Breaker Failures Operational Failures

View Ole Haaland's Consulting Profile.