The steady hand of design – Canice Coogan

Canice Coogan brings a calm, steady presence to the team. With years of experience delivering complex engineering projects, he combines his vast technical expertise with a collaborative mindset, consistently delivering safe, high-quality outcomes for the client.

As Design Manager for KTL’s Power Division (Overhead Line & Embedded Generation), Canice’s days are a mix of technical detail, people leadership, and strategic coordination. He moves between on-site challenges and office-based planning with ease, always with an eye on one thing: keeping the work safe, compliant, and buildable.

“A typical day is never just one thing,” he explains. “It’s design reviews, safety and quality checks, stakeholder calls with ESB Networks, supporting patrolling and way leaving staff, and unblocking issues for my team. My role is really about making sure the designs we produce aren’t just good on paper but can actually be built safely and on time.”

Although Canice only officially joined KTL in January 2025, his connection with the company goes back much further. “I first started working with KTL as a subcontractor in Telecoms back in 2011,” he recalls. “So while 2025 feels like a fresh start, it also feels like coming home to a company I’ve known and respected for years.”

This sense of familiarity has helped him hit the ground running. Already, his fingerprints can be seen across projects that underpin Ireland’s energy transition.

Ask Canice what keeps him motivated, and his answer is simple: the people, and the purpose.

“I love working with a multidisciplinary team on problems that really matter—problems that literally keep the lights on across Ireland,” he says. “And knowing that our work is helping ESB Networks deliver a modern distribution network that supports the Net Zero CO₂ targets for 2050—it gives what we do a bigger meaning. We’re not just building infrastructure; we’re building the future.”

Among the many projects he’s worked on, one stands above the rest so far: the initial MV OHL reconductoring/upgrade and embedded generation connections project for ESB Networks.

“It was a tough one—tight corridors, live networks, multiple stakeholders, all the things that make a project complicated,” Canice remembers. “But we pulled it off. We delivered safely, on schedule, and we added solid value engineering for the client. That kind of result really makes all the hard work worthwhile.”

Canice’s career has been a steady evolution. From early Telecoms design project manager roles, he transitioned into hands-on power design before stepping into broader design leadership. Today, his role requires him to coordinate between patrolling teams, way leaving staff, and electrical engineers, always ensuring alignment with client strategy.

“The scope has grown,” he reflects. “I’ve gone from focusing on individual projects to seeing the bigger picture across disciplines. It’s not just about design anymore, it’s about leadership, delivery, and client trust.”

One skill he’s particularly proud of is his ability to simplify complexity. “Communicating technical trade-offs in plain language so decisions get made quickly and safely—it wasn’t something I expected to develop,” he admits. “But it has become one of the most valuable parts of my toolkit.”

When asked what advice he’d share with someone starting in the field, Canice doesn’t hesitate. “Safety first, always. Learn the standards, ask questions early, and don’t rely only on drawings—walk the site. Reality always beats theory.”

He carries with him the best career advice he’s ever received: “Take risks and challenge yourself by doing uncomfortable things.” For Canice, growth has always come from stepping outside his comfort zone.

For Canice, KTL stands apart because of its culture. “It’s practical, delivery-focused engineering with short lines to decision-makers,” he explains. “We collaborate tightly with clients, and we move fast without ever compromising on safety or quality.”

When asked to describe KTL in three words, he doesn’t hesitate: “Safe. Dependable. Fair. Hard working.”

Canice looks forward to many things—the satisfaction of project handovers and the pride of seeing his team continue to deliver.

There’s much more to Canice than engineering. Few at KTL know that he’s a year-round sea swimmer at the Guillamene in Tramore, diving into the cold Atlantic whenever he can. “It clears the head,” he says with a grin.

Canice Coogan is a designer and a bridge-builder between disciplines, a voice for safety and clarity in a fast-moving industry. Whether on a windswept site or deep in design discussions, he brings with him the steady hand of experience and the heart of someone who cares about the future of energy in Ireland.

To find out more about KTL careers visit ktl.ie today.