Dianoush Emami is a California-based electrical engineer with nearly four decades of experience working across utility infrastructure projects in the nuclear, fossil fuel, and alternative energy sectors. Throughout his career, Dianoush Emami has focused on high-voltage transmission, substation design, quality control, and project oversight for complex electrical and power facilities. His work has included preparing grounding reports for more than 160 substations throughout California and overseeing projects valued in excess of $30 million.
Educated at the University of Southern California, where he earned a bachelor of science in electrical engineering, Emami also holds Nuclear Regulatory Commission certification in California. He has coordinated with contractors, consultants, and state agencies to ensure projects meet safety, reliability, and regulatory standards. His professional involvement includes participation in IEEE committees and IEC working groups that address substation automation and distribution management systems. This background provides a practical perspective on how oversight supports safe delivery of utility infrastructure projects.
Inside the Oversight Process for Utility Infrastructure Projects
In utility infrastructure projects, oversight keeps designs on track as they become safe, operational assets. Oversight covers reviews, field verification, documentation, and commissioning checks that keep construction aligned with approved plans and requirements. Engineers and owner leads follow the work from early constructability checks through turnover to limit rework and protect reliability.
Oversight starts with spatial layout and constructability. Utility engineers review site drawings to confirm cable routing, conduit placement, and coordination with existing structures. They verify that crews can build the design within environmental and access constraints, focusing on field feasibility, not equipment selection.
Before procurement, the owner decides how to staff execution and oversight. Based on risk and complexity, this may involve internal crews, contractors, construction management, or an owner’s engineer. The decision considers capacity, skill needs, and the cost of delays or safety risks. Routine work may remain in-house, while specialized work often needs contractors and tighter oversight.
With the delivery approach set, the owner’s project team issues a Request for Proposal (RFP) to solicit proposals from qualified contractors. A strong RFP defines scope, performance expectations, evaluation criteria, and key terms so contractors respond to the same requirements and the owner can compare submissions fairly. It should also state required submittals, inspection checkpoints, and record formats for turnover.
Proposal review then tests capability, not promises. The owner evaluates relevant experience, safety practices, schedule credibility, and the bidder’s ability to meet inspection, reporting, and closeout requirements. This keeps selection anchored in execution risk, even when offers look close on price.
After the award, the technical submittal review confirms that the proposed materials and equipment match the project documentation and stated service conditions. Engineers record approvals, required revisions, and installation constraints that field teams must follow. Clear submittal decisions reduce late substitutions and prevent conflicts that can trigger corrective work.
When the project connects to monitoring and control systems, oversight includes SCADA integration. Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition allows operators to view real-time status and give commands. The owner’s team and specialists check that devices report data, support control functions, and appear correctly for operators.
During construction, oversight becomes on-site verification. Engineers and inspection teams confirm that crews follow approved plans and that installed work matches accepted submittals. Checks commonly cover trench depth, conduit alignment, protective installations, and workmanship. Teams also collect daily reports, photo records, and sign-offs that show the installed work matches the approved configuration and supports reliable closeout review.
Field conditions can require controlled changes. When crews encounter unknown crossings, buried utilities, or other conflicts, the owner’s project team assesses impacts on safety, access, and maintainability. Engineers document what changed, why it changed, and what the revised plan requires, then update protection measures and the as-built record so operations receive accurate information.
As construction completes, oversight shifts into commissioning and turnover. Closeout includes functional checks, final inspections, required documentation delivery, and system energization or activation steps appropriate to the asset type. Where SCADA is involved, commissioning confirms accurate status visibility and expected control behavior before transfer to operations and maintenance.
Effective oversight improves future projects. Inspections and documentation create a feedback loop for planning and risk reduction. This helps owners set clearer expectations and deliver reliable infrastructure with fewer delays.
About Dianoush Emami
Dianoush Emami is an electrical engineer with more than 35 years of experience overseeing utility and facility infrastructure projects in California. His work spans high-voltage transmission, substations, and power distribution, with a focus on quality control, safety, and regulatory compliance. Emami has led multidisciplinary teams, coordinated with state agencies, and contributed to industry standards through IEEE and IEC working groups.