The head of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power stepped down Wednesday as part of a \u201cplanned leadership transition,\u201d Mayor Karen Bass\u2019 office announced.<\/p>\n
Janisse Qui\u00f1ones, who took the helm at DWP in 2024, is returning to Puerto Rico, where she is from, to help modernize the island\u2019s electric grid.<\/p>\n
In a statement, Bass said that Qui\u00f1ones brought \u201csteady leadership and engineering expertise to LADWP.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDuring her tenure, LADWP reinforced electric grid and water system reliability, enhanced coordination during wildfire events, and advanced investments to strengthen resilience amid increasing climate pressures,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n
Qui\u00f1ones\u2019 hefty salary of $750,000, which drew attention when she was hired, was meant to be competitive with private utility companies. She previously was a senior vice president of electric operations at Pacific Gas & Electric Co.<\/p>\n
Qui\u00f1ones managed the DWP through the Palisades fire, when a key reservoir was empty as firefighters battled the blaze. <\/p>\n
Some argued that the reservoir, which had been drained to repair its cover, led to lower water pressure and hampered the firefight.<\/p>\n
The DWP has pushed back, saying the repairs were necessary to protect public health and that even if the reservoir had been full, there still would have been water pressure issues, considering the extraordinary demand on the system during the fire.<\/p>\n