At RRC, leadership stems not just from experience but also from a profound passion for solving challenges and driving innovation. Steve Beilstein, RRC’s Transmission Group Manager, has a journey to becoming a leader in transmission line engineering rooted in curiosity, determination, and a desire to create a meaningful impact.
Steve’s story begins with his early inspiration, drawn from his father, who owned a commercial industrial electrical contractor business. “I worked for him in high school a little bit. I was always into designing and building things—circuits, car stereo stuff—so it made sense to go into electrical engineering,” Steve shared. After completing a degree at Oregon State University, his career took off.
In 2005, Steve joined a major engineering firm where he was asked to choose between substation and transmission line engineering. “To be honest, I didn’t even know what the difference was at that point. I just wanted to be an engineer,” he recalled. That choice marked the beginning of a 14-year career focused on transmission line projects that would become defining moments in his journey.
Among his career highlights was the reconductoring of a double-circuit 230 kV transmission line running parallel to the San Mateo Bridge across the San Francisco Bay. “Every time I fly into San Francisco, I see my project. It’s really cool,” Steve said. The project involved lifting tower tops with helicopters and reinforcing the line to support increased capacity—an unforgettable engineering feat.
Another major project brought him closer to home, designing a 200+ mile double-circuit 500 kV transmission line in Oregon. “We worked with the federal government, the National Forest, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, and others. It was eye-opening to see the level of impact these lines have and the ways to mitigate it,” Steve explained. While the original project was canceled due to financing, it has recently been revived with plans for partial construction—a testament to its long-term importance.
By 2019, Steve realized it was time for a new chapter. “At my old company, the push was to move into project management, but I didn’t want to do budgets and schedules. I wanted to stay in engineering,” he explained. This decision led him to RRC, where he saw an opportunity to build a transmission line team from the ground up. “I noticed a job posting on LinkedIn, applied, and got an interview. It was just me and one other colleague at first, and we’ve been slowly building the team since then.”
At RRC, Steve embraced the challenge of starting small and growing organically. “We’ve focused on providing any service in terms of transmission lines our clients need. Any difficult project, anything—we’ll take it on and figure it out,” he said. Over the years, his role has expanded to include improving standards, training the team, and business development. “It’s like a startup,” he added.
Reflecting on his career, Steve’s passion for engineering remains at the forefront. “When I retire, I want to say I made this world a better place by providing power to everyone,” he said. At RRC, his leadership ensures that the transmission line team delivers not only technical excellence but also lasting value for the communities they serve.
Steve’s journey, built on resilience and a love for problem-solving, epitomizes the spirit of RRC—a company that thrives on expertise, innovation, and collaboration.
