Los Angeles Department of Water and Power CEO stepping down amid "planned leadership transition," city announces

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power CEO and chief engineer Janisse Quiñones will step down later this month, the office of Mayor Karen Bass announced Wednesday.

Quiñones was hired in 2024 after a stint at Pacific Gas and Electric Company as senior vice president of electric operations. She'll exit her roles on March 27 as part of a "planned leadership transition," officials said.

"Janisse brought steady leadership and engineering expertise to LADWP during a critical period for our city," Bass said. "Her focus on resilience, reliability, and strengthening the workforce has helped position the Department for continued progress. We thank her for her service to Los Angeles."

Quiñones, a Puerto Rico native, will return to the island for a leadership role "supporting the modernization and transformation" of its electric grid, Bass's office said. She was born and raised in Caguas, Puerto Rico and graduated from the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez Campus.

"Serving the people of Los Angeles has been one of the greatest honors of my professional life," said Quiñones. "I am deeply grateful to Mayor Karen Bass and the City of Los Angeles for the trust placed in me to steward essential infrastructure that supports the health, safety, and economic vitality of our communities. Los Angeles is a city defined by innovation, diversity, and resilience. It has been a privilege to serve a community that continually rises to meet its challenges."

Bass's office said Quiñones oversaw a reinforced electric grid and water system and transformed the department.

Her base salary of $750,000 made her the highest-paid city employee at the time of her hiring in May 2024.

She was subject to scrutiny during the devastating LA wildfires in January of last year. A CBS LA investigation found that the Los Angeles Fire Department informed the LADWP that more than 1,300 fire hydrants across the city needed repair just four months before the Palisades Fire broke out. Quiñones told CBS LA at the time that the LAFD did not clearly label the hydrants as requiring repair, but rather "needing inspection."

The city will announce interim leadership shortly, Bass's office said.