The hunt is on for a new utility chief to steer Los Angeles' water and power as Mayor Karen Bass and a top-drawer search firm comb the nation for a successor to the retiring Marty Adams. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), the nation's largest municipal utility, is set to play a pivotal role in the city's ambitious clean energy push, with Bass affirming a commitment to a cleaner future and the city's goal of fully renewable energy by 2035.
Bass stated on Monday that the quest to fill Adams' shoes is more than just finding a new general manager; it's about leadership and a pledge to both the city's residents and to the principles of service, safety, and sustainability. "The role of General Manager of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is critical in ensuring equitable service, safety, and reliability in Los Angeles as well as helping us achieve the city’s collective goal of 100% clean energy by 2035," she noted in their office's official website, commending Adams for his nearly four-decade commitment to the LADWP.
The outgoing general manager, Adams, is an LADWP veteran with 39 years under his belt, setting a high bar for his predecessor with his tenure wrapping up this coming February. The move comes as Mayor Bass is nearing her first anniversary in the mayoral office, during which she has taken what she describes as bold steps to build a greener Los Angeles, securing hundreds of millions in state and federal funding to lead the charge against climate change.
According to the mayor's office, the ongoing efforts align with the environmental strides made by former mayors Villaraigosa and Garcetti, emphasizing that Mayor Bass has not only continued this legacy but also amplified it, with substantial progress in her first year despite the challenges of picking up where her predecessors left off and forging ahead with initiatives that aim to transform L.A. into a more sustainable, environmentally conscious metropolis. The full rundown of these achievements was made available last week, with a video summarizing the sustainability efforts released on various platforms, including X and Instagram.
