Amir Hammad is Plant Manager – Hydro for Constellation, a Fortune 200 company headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland.
For the first of Astute People Inc’s People Powered Profile series, he spoke with Dan Bisset, VP – North America, about his career, how it’s changed during his time within the industry and what developments he believes will come in the hydro sector in the future.
Can you tell us a bit about your career journey so far?
I’ve had an exciting career since graduating college in 2004.
I’ve explored nearly every aspect of the utility industry.
I started in transmission and distribution, then moved into generation on the coal and gas-fired side.
During the Constellation-Exelon merger, I worked in legal, supporting different power plants with various initiatives.
From there, I transitioned into renewables, focusing on wind energy, and eventually landed where I am now, in hydro.
It’s been an exciting journey.
One thing I’ve learned is that working for a large company has been the right path for me.
It allows you to grow while taking on new challenges every two to three years.
That variety is, to me, the best part of working for a big organization.
What are some of the standout projects and plants you’ve worked on?
There have been so many interesting projects, each unique for different reasons.
One that stands out is a biomass facility in California.
We built it so that the city of Los Angeles could power all the behind-the-meter activities at a wastewater treatment plant.
California is known for its high energy costs, so creating a solution that drastically reduced their utility needs was incredibly rewarding.
The plant used anaerobic digesters and produced 26 megawatts in what we called a “baby combined cycle”.
It was fascinating to manage.
The location added to the experience – it was right off the Pacific Coast Highway.
Every day, I could leave work, hang a left, and be at the Pacific Ocean.
It was pretty awesome all around.
Over the last 10 years, there have been significant legislative changes that have impacted power plants.
As someone with an insider perspective, what would you say are the most notable changes you’ve observed during this period?
It’s funny that you asked about the last 10 years in particular because those 10 years were a full cycle.
What I mean by that is, that I remember being hired about 10 years into the generation aspects when it was booming.
We were building gas plants, coal was still big, oil was around, and energy consumption was increasing.
Then it flatlined and declined as energy savings became a major focus across the board.
During that time, generation felt like a dying industry.
None of my friends who had the right background were going into it- they were looking at other alternatives.
It felt like the industry was shrinking.
Plants were closing, and it didn’t feel great.
But now, we’re in a huge boom with solar, wind, and hydro bringing us back to where things were when I started.
So, when you consider all the energy policy changes, over the past 10 years, we’ve gone from booming to meet demand, to decreasing demand and declining generation, and now back to booming again.
With AI and other technologies in high demand, we need power plants to support them.
Over the past 10 years, it’s come full circle.
If we condense that 10-year cycle into the last year or so, what do you see as the main challenges the industry is facing?
Great question.
What I’m seeing is an influx of retirements.
Because of the previous downward trend when the industry was shrinking, a lot of experienced people have left.
Now, we’re facing a knowledge gap as we try to bring in new talent.
We’re not finding many people with relevant backgrounds, so we’re focusing on aptitude – hiring people who can learn quickly and adapt to new technologies.
Whether it’s wind turbines, hydro turbines, solar panels, or gas turbines, we need people who can work across multiple areas.
Within the last year, the challenge has been hiring the right people with the right mindset rather than solely focusing on experience.
If we’re talking about hiring, and considering you’re currently working in hydro, what are the hardest roles to fill?
On the technical side, we’re looking for people who aren’t overly specialized.
For instance, I’m not just looking for an electrical engineer focused only on electrical work.
We need engineers who can handle multiple disciplines.
We recently hired someone straight out of school with a systems approach to engineering.
This person has a background in civil engineering but also a strong mechanical foundation to support dam safety.
That kind of flexibility is invaluable.
Personally, I’m looking for people who can wear multiple hats and grow into their roles.
For example, I have a Master’s in systems engineering, which focuses on connecting different engineering disciplines into a cohesive whole.
That’s the kind of aptitude we need – people who can see the bigger picture and help us grow operations at places like Conowingo and Muddy Run.
Looking ahead, what key changes do you see coming for the hydro sector in the next five years?
The hydro sector is a sleeping giant.
It hasn’t evolved much in the last 50 years, but that’s starting to change.
Operators are shifting from taking long outages for maintenance to a more 24/7 approach, aligning more closely with the economic demands of the grid.
This shift is fascinating because it moves away from assuming the dam will always just “be there” to actively optimizing its operations.
We’re also seeing a need for stronger financial acumen in the workforce. I was fortunate to spend time on the trade floor, where I learned how traders view our assets.
That experience allows me to bring a business perspective to operations, which will be increasingly important as the industry evolves.
Going back to talent, how can hydro compete for the best minds, especially when solar and wind often dominate the conversation?
It’s an exciting time for hydro.
We’re seeing more investment in upgrades and reliability, which creates opportunities.
While solar and wind attract attention and funding for different reasons, dams are critical because of their reliability.
For example, hydro facilities often serve as black start resources, meaning they can provide power quickly in emergencies.
That makes hydro a vital part of the energy mix.
It’s rewarding to be part of something so integral to the grid’s operation.
If you could give your younger self starting in this field advice, what would it be?
Any time I was given an opportunity that scared me, I knew I had to take it.
Looking back, I’d tell my younger self to dive in fully, without hesitation.
When I started on the trade floor, I knew nothing about trading. It was terrifying but exhilarating because I could ask questions and learn without judgment.
That experience made me a better person and a better employee.
Even now, as a Plant Manager, I didn’t know all the intricacies of dam operations when I started.
But taking on something intimidating has always pushed me to grow.
My advice to anyone – whether it’s my younger self or someone new to the industry – is to embrace challenges, even if they terrify you.
You’ll learn and grow immensely from the experience.
