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As a senior vice president for Cupertino Electric, Inc. (CEI), Brian McDonald oversees operations for the Energy Group, which includes the Renewables Division and the Distributed Generation Division. The Renewables Division provides full, turn-key engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services on renewable projects across the U.S., including solar, wind, and DC coupled battery energy storage systems (BESS). The Distributed Generation team at CEI delivers a full spectrum of electrical construction and engineering services, including AC coupled BESS, C&I solar, Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations, microgrids, gas pipeline replacement programs, transmission, distribution, and high voltage substation projects.

McDonald is a dedicated leader who has spent his career focused on the development, construction and operation of large-scale infrastructure projects in the energy sector. He has delivered global infrastructure projects for renewables, energy storage, power generation, electric transmission, natural gas, and petro-chemical operations customers totaling more than $10 billion.

Prior to joining CEI, McDonald served as president for Horizon West Transmission (HWT) (a subsidiary of NextEra Energy, Inc.), where he formed the HWT Transmission Utility regulated by the CPUC and drove strategic growth of FERC 1000 competitive transmission asset development, construction and P&L management in the Western Region.

McDonald spent 11 years at Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) in senior management roles including Renewable Resource Development, Gas Operations and Electric Transmission Operations, directing large-scale programs and major capital projects. He led the 500 MW Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Program, the first utility-owned renewable projects in the U.S. He also led the execution of the $2 billion Pipeline Safety Enhancement Program (PSEP), and $3 billion Electric Transmission Major Projects and Programs team, Electric Transmission Contract Management team, the Mobile Home Park Program, Battery Storage Development, Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) and Wave Connect Programs.

Before PG&E, McDonald worked at Calpine Corporation as a development and emerging technologies director, where he was responsible for more than $2 billion in power generation projects.

He is a registered professional mechanical engineer (P.E.) in California, holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Sacramento State University and an MBA from Saint Mary’s College. He is a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.