Vicente Villegas
I would like to extend my appreciation to the IRWA Chapter 1 for inviting me to serve as the Utilities Chair for this year. Since starting my career at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, I have worked in the Right-of-Way Engineering Group as a Civil Engineer reviewing complex projects impacting our transmission line right-of-ways. It has been a wholesome experience to work with many utilities and agencies throughout the years, including some colleagues that are currently serving on the Board. One of my most notable projects has been the Power Plant 1 & 2 Transmission Line Conversion Project involving the replacement of existing 115-kV transmission line to 230-kV in order to meet the Department’s long-term renewable energy goals.
In the past, I have attended the International Right of Way Annual Conference in Portland, Oregon and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. While we get through these tough and unpredictable times, we should remain optimistic that things will get better so that we can attend large conferences again. In the meantime, I invite those interested to learn more about transmission line right-of-way processes to attend the annual Electrical Utility Consultants Inc. (EUCI) “2020 Improving Right Of Way and Siting Processes for Electric Transmission Projects” online conference. It is being held on September 28-29 and is available for registration at the EUCI website.