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What makes a great power plant manager? CPS Energy’s James Richardson got hooked early

There isn’t just one attribute that helps make someone a great Plant Manager. Here is the list Richardson offered, built from his more than 40 years of experience.
What makes a great power plant manager? CPS Energy’s James Richardson got hooked early
(Source: CPS Energy).

Growing up in the small town of Latta, South Carolina, James Richardson became interested in power generation when a local electric company presented at his high school.

“There was a stationary bicycle that was connected to a generator that lit a light when someone pedaled the bicycle,” he said. “I was fascinated by this as a freshman.” Richardson spoke with Power Engineering in observance of #BlackHistoryMonth.

Richardson’s pastor, Reverend Paul B. German, was the maintenance man at the nearby elementary school. He taught Richardson how to start up and operate the package boilers that heated the school, to sound fuel oil tanks and do other basic repairs. Richardson said these skills were valuable when he joined the U.S. Navy after graduating.  

“My mother and brother Charles walked to receive my high school diploma,” he recalled. “She was very proud.”

Richardson found success quickly. In the Navy, he was promoted to E-6, Machinist Mate 1st Class in just four years. At 22 years old, he said he was leading some men who were more than twice his age. But knowing he might not progress to the next rank for a decade, he left the Navy to begin a career in the waste-to-energy sector.

“I worked my way from entry-level engineer to Plant Manager in 10 years,” said Richardson in an interview in recognition of Black History Month. “Along the way, there were issues that seemed discriminatory. However, I did not quit, I became more involved.”

He did everything: writing start up procedures for plant equipment, volunteering for plant commissioning teams, even appearing in company infomercials.

Richardson recalled learning a lot from a man named Steve Di Liberto, a plant manager he supported. One piece of advice he recalls Di Liberto telling him was to get a degree. Richardson had been six credits shy when he left the Navy.

“As a young, Black male, I might not be given first consideration for a job, but with a degree, employers have one less reason not to hire me,” said Richardson. “He told me not to give anyone a reason to not hire me.”

Six years later, Richardson had earned both a bachelor’s and master’s in business administration.

He has held a variety of positions at CPS Energy, the utility serving San Antonio, Texas. Previously, he was director at Sommers, an 830 MW gas-fired plant. He also oversaw the coal yard, which processes nearly 4 million tons of coal per year for the J.K. Spruce Power Plant.

In February, Richardson took over as director for Spruce, ensuring his teams operate and maintain the plant to provide reliable power in a safe, environmentally compliant manner.

“I have been in power plants since I was 18 and have enjoyed almost every minute of it,” he said.

Richardson said there isn’t just one attribute that helps make someone a great Director or Plant Manager. Here is the list he gave us, built from more than 40 years of experience:

  1. Always enforce safety first. Demand it of everybody in your plant, division, or company.
  2. Act with integrity. You can’t lead successfully without it.
  3. Honor commitments. Team members remember when you don’t do what you say.
  4. Strive for excellence. This is a part of the team building process. Set goals for your team that are SMART, but also require them to stretch and improve their performance.
  5. Develop others and allow them to grow with guidance. Your support and guidance can help people to realize their potential.
  6. Have a professional curiosity. Try to learn something about the plant or process every day.
  7. If there is a plant issue, get to the root cause. There are no ghost or mystery trips. It is in everyone’s best interest to find and resolve the issue. Resolving issues allows maintenance personnel to sleep at night.

“There are days when you know you did great work and there are days when you feel like you could have done better, but you have another shift in 12 hours and you get to do it all over again,” he added. “The odds are in your favor that you win more days that you lose.”

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