AEE's Certified Power Quality Professional (CPQ) program is designed to award special recognition to power quality professionals who have demonstrated a high level of knowledge, experience, competence and ethical fitness in this emerging, highly specialized field. The knowledge required of power quality specialists covers a broad range of applications and issues, ranging in scope from the vastness of the nation's power distribution networks to the immediacy of devices sharing a wall outlet. By obtaining the CPQ credential, you will be establishing your status as a qualified expert in this growing area of specialized expertise. The CPQ certification process requires the completion of a three-day training program, followed by successful completion of a four-hour written examination.

Eligibility
The prerequisites to qualify for the certification process have been designed to take into account the possible diversity of education and practical experience an individual may have. However each CPQ candidate must meet one of the following criteria:

• A four-year engineering degree and/or P.E.,
  with at least three years experience in power quality, energy or building or facility management, or electrical design, engineering or contracting.
  
  
• A four-year non-engineering degree,
  with at least five years experience in power quality, energy or building or facility management, or electrical design, engineering or contracting.
  
  
• A two-year technical degree,
  with five years experience in power quality, energy or building or facility management, or electrical design, engineering or contracting.
  
  
• Ten years or more verified experience in power quality, energy or building or facility management, or electrical design, engineering or contracting.
  
  
• The current status of Certified Energy Manager (CEM).

Examination and Training Requirement
Each CPQ candidate must attend AEE's Fundamentals of Power Quality three-day training program, and complete and pass a four-hour written, open-book examination. Examination questions are based on concepts and experiences basic to wiring, grounding, powering, and protecting of electrical and electronic circuits and equipment used in industrial and commercial facilities. Questions are a mixture of multiple choice and true-false.

Fees
Fees for the CPQ certification process are as follows:

• Certification application and examination: $200
• Seminar registration fee: $1150 for AEE members / government
• Seminar registration fee for non-members $1250

These fees must be paid at the time the CPQ application and seminar registration are submitted.

How to Apply for CPQ Certification

METHOD 1: BY MAIL

To receive your Certified Power Quality Professional Application Package by mail, please write, call or email:

Francine Seskin, CPQ Certification Administrator
Association of Energy Engineers
4025 Pleasantdale Road, Suite 420
Atlanta, GA 30340
(770) 447-5083, ext. 223
email: fseskin@aeecenter.org

METHOD 2: ONLINE

STEP ONE: REGISTER FOR THE SEMINAR.

All CPQ candidates are required to complete the Fundamentals of Power Quality 3-day Training Program. Note: Registering online for the seminar does not automatically register you to take the CPQ exam. After completing your seminar registration, return to this page and go to STEP TWO below. The link below will take you to course information, current schedules and fee information for this program, as well as access to online seminar registration:

Fundamentals of Power Quality 3-day seminar / exam on the afternoon of day three of the seminar. Click link to view the current schedule: Seminar Dates / Registration Info | Join AEE |

STEP TWO: COMPLETE YOUR CPQ CERTIFICATION APPLICATION

After you have completed your seminar registration, click the link below to complete your online CPQ Certification Application:

CPQ Certification Application Form

 The CPQ exam is administered at each Fundamentals of Power Quality seminar site, on the afternoon of day three of the seminar.

Notification of Exam Results
Within thirty days of the date of the exam, you will be notified of your score. Your application fee must be paid before your score can be released. Do not call AEE about your test results before the end of the thirty-day period. Exam results are not available on the AEE website.

Review by Certification Board
If you receive a passing score and have paid the examination fee, and if your file is complete, including all supporting documents, your file will be sent to the Certification Board for final review. You will be notified at that time that you will receive the Board's approval or denial within sixty days.

Maintaining Certification
Continuing education is essential to maintaining high standards of professional competency.  A CPQ must accumulate eight (8) professional credits every three years to maintain certification.

Activities Applicable as Credits for CPQ Renewal:

The above serves as a guideline for the 8 credits to be accumulated during each three year renewal period.  A reminder form will be sent during the year your CPQ certification expires.  Please keep a file of your credits to assist with completing this form.

Calculating Your Continuing Education Credits:
If you wish to use power quality-related AEE seminars as a part of meeting the 8-credit requirement to maintain certification, note that you will earn 0.8 CEU for each full day of participation in any AEE seminar. For example, a 2-day AEE seminar will earn you 1.6 CEU, or the equivalent of 3.2 credits toward CPQ renewal. (The four-hour period allotted for certification examinations is not included when calculating the number of contact hours for a seminar.)

Renewal Fee:
A fee of $200 is required for each three-year renewal of your CPQ certification. If you do not renew your certification by your renewal date, you will be required to retake the exam to be reinstated. It is therefore important to inform AEE if your address changes. Failure to do so will delay your receipt of your renewal notice, and may result in your being required to retake the exam.