AWARDS FINALIST: Yanosh Irani – driving data to boost generation at Meridian
Meridian Energy says Yanosh Irani is driving a new era of innovation and performance for the company.
At 35, Irani is the youngest member of the company's generation leadership team.
As head of data and performance, he's transforming how New Zealand's largest renewable generator uses data to make smarter decisions, boost generation and future-proof its operations.
Irani's most significant contribution to date is his leadership of Meridian's ambitious "500 in five" initiative - aimed at returning, flexing and creating options to grow the capacity of existing assets by the equivalent of 500 megawatts by 2027.
In just two years, the company's generation business has already delivered more than 150 MW of additional capacity.
Excellence
One of his standout innovations is the creation of a data centre of excellence - democratising access to data across Meridian and enabling teams to make faster, more informed decisions.
It's also delivered tangible results - saving more than $8 million in lost revenue, $3 million in operating costs, and better using capital investment to maintain asset health and generation capacity.
Irani's leadership has also empowered frontline staff to contribute ideas through his team's 2024 maintenance innovation initiative.
That resulted in more than 200 ideas on asset maintenance improvements from across the business, including the use of remote control access for wind turbines and underwater drones for hydro inspections - both of which have improved safety, reduced downtime, and increased generation.
Collectively, these initiatives and better use of data have reduced the number of routine and unplanned outage days by more than 250.
Turbine
Last year, Irani also led a business-critical decision to replace a damaged transformer at the West Wind site at Makara.
Using data modelling, his team built a compelling case for an interim solution with a borrowed transformer from Transpower; 45 MW of capacity was restored at an estimated saving to Meridian of $8 million.
Meridian says Irani's journey began as a project engineer working hands-on at power stations, where he developed a deep understanding of the assets and the challenges of maintaining them.
That technical foundation, combined with a passion for data and people, has shaped his leadership style and an ability to influence executive decisions through clear, evidence-based insights.
Beyond the numbers, Irani is known for his empathy, curiosity and commitment to Meridian's values.
He fosters a culture where innovation is encouraged, failure is seen as a learning opportunity, and people are empowered to lead.
The company says his team is thriving under his guidance, and his influence is felt across the organisation.
The annual Energy Excellence Awards will be held in Wellington on 13 August. The Young Energy Professional of the Year award is sponsored by Phoenix Recycling Group.