The Los Angeles City Council Tuesday confirmed longtime Pacific Gas and Electric executive Janisse Quiñones as the next general manager of the Department of Water and Power, at an annual salary of $750,000 — nearly twice as much as her predecessor.
The council voted unanimously to approve Mayor Karen Bass’ nominee after a nationwide search for a new leader, prompted by general manager Martin Adams’ announcement that he would be retiring.
“This council will be considering many important appointments that the mayor will be making, but very few will be as consequential as this one,” Council President Paul Krekorian said prior to the vote. “Leadership of the DWP is absolutely vital to this city.”
Krekorian added that the massive utility is “in need of a change of culture to ensure that it is a place of unquestionable integrity. DWP needs a resurgence of its commitment to customer service and to ensuring affordability of rates while also being honest about the essential needs of investment in the power and water infrastructure, which we have not been keeping up with.”
Some council members asked Quiñones about her goals as the new head of the agency that serves millions of Angelenos, including climate concerns, beautification of facilities and infrastructure upgrades.
“Part of my mission is to really understand the priorities of the department,” Quiñones said. “I will have to look into all the energy efficiency projects, understand how we’re performing and how we’re making those equitable for the communities that we’re serving.”
Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez emphasized that Quiñones will have “all eyes” on her due to previous issues with transparency and corruption at the DWP that occurred prior to Adams’ tenure. Rodriguez suggested that Quiñones move “very judiciously” with everything that she does.
The council also backed a prior action by the Board of Water and Power Commissioners in paying Quiñones a salary of $750,000 a year. Last year, the council approved a new salary range between $435,000 to $751,000 for the general managers who oversee the city’s DWP, port and airport.
“I look forward to working with Janisse to deliver for the people of Los Angeles,” Bass had said in a statement when she nominated Quiñones in April.
“This is a transformational period for the department as we make decisions that will build toward the goal of 100% renewable energy by 2035 and I am confident that Janisse’s experience overseeing large scale organizational operations, improving safety outcomes for workers and restoring and reconstructing electrical systems following Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico equip her to lead the department,” her statement continued.
According to the Mayor’s Office, Quiñones brings more than 25 years of leadership experience as a senior executive in utility and engineering industries where she managed large-scale operations in order to deliver reliable service to customers, prioritized the safety of workers on the job and directed improvements that made electrical infrastructure more resilient.
Quiñones had called it an “honor” to be nominated by Bass.
“Throughout my career, I have worked to make sure that communities have access to reliable, clean, safe and sustainable utilities, and I will continue with that same dedication in this role,” Quiñones said in a statement.
Bass also thanked Adams for his accomplishments and “decades of leadership to the people of Los Angeles.”
While Adams had previously announced his departure by the end of March, he agreed to stay on for a limited time to help with the transition to new leadership.