Commissioning From Every Side of The Table with Priya Velamakanni

In this episode of Inside Commissioning, host Cal Blair sits down with Priya Velamakanni, Vice President of Commissioning and Construction Services at CPG, to explore her 20+ year journey through the mission-critical and data center industry.Priya shares how she accidentally discovered commissioning after graduating as a mechanical engineer and stepping into the world of data centers without even knowing what they were. From her early days as a project coordinator to leading large-scale commissioning teams, she reflects on how the industry has evolved from small megawatt facilities to today’s massive hyperscale developments.Together, Cal and Priya discuss the changing role of commissioning, the increasing complexity of data center projects, and why commissioning professionals are now becoming a critical voice earlier in the construction process.They also discuss:How Priya unexpectedly entered the mission-critical industry and built a long-term commissioning careerWhat commissioning really involves and why testing, validation, and attention to detail matterHow data center projects have evolved from megawatts to gigawatt-scale developmentsWhy commissioning has moved from an afterthought to a key driver of project successThe biggest challenges that cause commissioning issues on siteWhat makes a great commissioning professional and the transferable skills from other industriesThe growing talent shortage and how companies can build stronger commissioning teamsWhy flexibility and adaptability are essential for engineers entering the industryHow modular construction and factory-based testing could shape the future of commissioningThe importance of maintaining culture, teamwork, and connection while scaling globallyHow the industry can become more collaborative as demand continues to accelerateThe rise of women in mission-critical environments and how the industry is changingPriya also shares lessons from challenging projects, her approach to leadership, and why the best part of commissioning is that no two days or problems are ever the same.Connect with Priya Velamakanni: https://www.linkedin.com/in/priya-velamakanni-40a7453Links and ResourcesWebsite: www.baselinecx.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cal-blair-talent-