Full Breakdown
Janisse Quiñones Steps Down as LADWP CEO to Lead Puerto Rico's Electric Grid Transformation
3/5/2026, 4:17:56 AM
Departure Announcement and Background
Janisse Quiñones, the Chief Executive Officer of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), is resigning from her position to return to Puerto Rico. The announcement was made by the mayor's office on Wednesday, with Quiñones set to take on a leadership role aimed at modernizing and transforming the island's electric grid. Mayor Karen Bass praised Quiñones for her steady leadership and engineering expertise during a critical period for Los Angeles, emphasizing her focus on resilience and workforce strengthening.
Quiñones has been in her role since 2024 and is leaving as part of a planned leadership transition. Her tenure has not been without controversy; she faced significant criticism for her handling of the response to the Los Angeles fires, particularly regarding the maintenance of fire hydrants and the management of water reservoirs during a critical fire season.
Criticism and Controversies
Quiñones' leadership came under scrutiny last year when investigations revealed that over 1,300 fire hydrants in Los Angeles required maintenance or repair, with some issues flagged nearly a year before devastating fires in the Palisades and Eaton areas. Additionally, her decision to shut down and empty a reservoir during brushfire season raised concerns about the availability of water for firefighting efforts. Critics have pointed to these failures as significant factors in the poor response to the fires.
Salary and Position
As the highest-paid employee in the city, Quiñones earned an annual salary of $750,000, which is double that of her predecessor, Martin Adams, and significantly more than Mayor Bass's salary of approximately $300,000. The LADWP is the largest municipal utility in the United States, serving around 4 million residents, including over 681,000 water customers and 1.4 million electric customers.
Future Role in Puerto Rico
Returning to her roots, Quiñones was born and raised in Caguas, Puerto Rico, and holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Puerto Rico–Mayagüez Campus. In her new role, she will oversee the transformation of Puerto Rico's electric grid, which has been plagued by chronic outages, a 33% energy shortfall, aging infrastructure, and nearly $9 billion in debt. The island continues to experience more frequent blackouts than areas on the U.S. mainland, nearly a decade after Hurricane Maria.
Official Statements
Mayor Karen Bass expressed gratitude for Quiñones' contributions, stating, “Janisse brought steady leadership and engineering expertise to LADWP during a critical period for our city.” Quiñones herself remarked, “Serving the people of Los Angeles has been one of the greatest honors of my professional life.”
What's Next
As Quiñones transitions to her new role in Puerto Rico, the LADWP will likely undergo a search for her successor, aiming to maintain the momentum of progress in managing the city's essential infrastructure.
