The SFPUC’s Hetch Hetchy Power System and CleanPowerSF programs combined serve about 80% of the City’s electricity demand. To learn more about the people that keep the SFPUC’s power system running, one SFPUC communications team member took another elevator ride to chat with Power Enterprise colleagues on keeping the lights on.
Victor Hong – Maintenance Scheduler, Hetch Hetchy Power
Q. What is your day-to-day like at the SFPUC?
Hong: My day-to-day responsibilities consist of processing and scheduling maintenance, repairs, and new construction projects for Utility Field Services’ (UFS) Streetlights Group, Meter Shop, and High Voltage Group. I create and track daily work assignments, meet with field crews daily to obtain project updates, and use the information to create work assignments in Maximo for the following shift. I also assist in resolving and updating service requests from the 311 Customer Service Call Center.
Q. What’s been your favorite project so far?
Hong: My favorite project so far is the LED Conversion Project replacing cobrahead-style high pressure sodium (HPS) lighting with ultra-efficient, light emitting diode (LED) luminaires. All staff at UFS had an integral part in the completion of the project from procuring, mapping, coordinating, and removing and replacing the luminaires throughout the City.
Q. What’s something most people don’t know about you?
Hong: One of my newest hobbies is watch collecting. I find it intriguing to learn about their mechanical movement and customization.
Olivia de Lancie – Utility Specialist in the Power Enterprise
Q. What does your role entail as a Utility Specialist in the Power Enterprise’s Energy Data Systems group?
de Lancie: I am currently managing several of the Power Enterprise’s modernization projects, including migration to a new billing system and the launch of our web portal for Hetch Hetchy customers. I also manage an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project that will allow us to remotely read SFPUC-owned electric and gas meters.
Q. What motivates you to do this work?
de Lancie: I find it exciting to lead projects that enable Power Enterprise to better serve our customers. Building new systems to meet stakeholder needs can be very challenging and require a lot of persistence but seeing how excited our customers become when they learn about these improvements is very rewarding.
Q. What’s been your favorite project so far?
de Lancie: I really enjoyed implementing “My Account – Power.” The portal enables Hetch Hetchy customers to pay their bills online for the first time, and it provides customers with a centralized place to view their energy usage, enroll in alerts, and receive energy efficiency tips. The project team included members from Power Enterprise, Customer Service, IT, and Communications, so I got to work with great people from across the agency. I have received lots of positive feedback about the portal from grateful customers.
Q: What’s something most people don’t know about you?
de Lancie: In 2017, I started pursuing a hobby in nature and wildlife photography. I have been fortunate to see many fascinating creatures in their fragile natural habitats, and hope that documenting them will inspire people to promote wildlife and habitat conservation. You can check out some of the photos I have taken in the Bay Area and abroad here. Several of my photos were also featured in the 2019 Water Pollution Prevention Calendar.
Lee Evans – Customer Service Representative, CleanPowerSF
Q. What were you doing before you came to the SFPUC?
Evans: Before working as a Customer Service Representative for CleanPowerSF, I was a Senior Marketing Administrative Associate at Genentech. I also worked at Airbnb and the Lending Club in San Francisco.
Q. What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned about our Power System since joining?
Evans: It’s amazing to me that nearly half of the power we supply to our CleanPowerSF customers is renewable. It will be cool to watch technology advance just over the next couple of years and see where we’re at then.
Q. What is your biggest achievement to date—personal or professional?
Evans: I’d like to think I haven’t reached my full potential and so my biggest achievement hasn’t happened yet. I’m excited to keep learning and growing at the SFPUC and see what happens next.
Q. If you could be a mythical creature or superhero, who would it be?
Evans: Superman—he can do almost anything but remains humble and quietly confident.
Mike Viano – Electrical Line Worker, Hetch Hetchy Power
Q. What is your day-to-day like at the SFPUC?
Viano: My day-to-day work changes from new installations to regular maintenance of streetlight circuits.
Q. What motivates you to do this work?
Viano: My two athletic sons Anthony (12) and Nicholas (11), both born in 2008.
Q. What’s something most people don’t know about you?
Viano: I’ve lived in five different states in a four-year period before settling in California.
Q. How do you save energy at home?
Viano: I use energy-efficient LED lighting in my house.
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