PSNH President and COO Stepping Down After 13 Years in Top Post
PSNH President and COO Stepping Down After 13 Years in Top Post
Long to Continue as Senior NH Executive for Energy Policy and the Northern Pass Project
NU Appoints Interim President
HARTFORD, Conn. & BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Northeast Utilities (NU) announced today that Gary A. Long, 62, will be stepping down as President of Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH) on August 1, after leading the state's largest utility through historic changes in New Hampshire's energy industry for the past 13 years. While deciding to leave his current role at PSNH, Long will continue as an executive of Northeast Utilities to assist PSNH and NU in the months ahead to advance the Northern Pass project, a proposed transmission line carrying low-cost renewable hydro-electric power from Québec to New Hampshire, and to work on important energy policy issues in the state.
Gary A. Long, President, Public Service of New Hampshire (Photo: Business Wire)
"Gary's contributions to PSNH are remarkable, and his history of customer service, operational excellence and steadfast commitment to New Hampshire is present all across the state," said Tom May, President and CEO of NU. "We are pleased he will continue to build on this history by turning his focus and skills to leading this very important transmission project, which will help move New Hampshire toward a cleaner energy future."
"PSNH has been a very important part of my life and career over the last 37 years, and I am truly grateful to all my colleagues at PSNH and NU and all those in the state who have made it an exciting and fulfilling experience for me, particularly during the past 13 years as president," said Long. "I look forward to now focusing on the advancement of the Northern Pass project, which I believe will provide unique and critical value to PSNH customers, the state of New Hampshire, and the New England region for future decades, and providing guidance and leadership on important energy policy issues."
To ensure a smooth transition, NU has named Paul Ramsey, Vice President of Energy Delivery, as interim president of PSNH, while it finalizes selection of Long's permanent successor. Ramsey, who joined PSNH in 1975, currently oversees the planning, engineering, and construction and maintenance of the company's electrical distribution system.
An electrical engineer by training, Long rose up PSNH's ranks from an assistant engineer, to hold various positions at the company in the areas of marketing, customer service, regulatory affairs, governmental relations, corporate communications, economic development, and rates.
Long was PSNH's principal architect in the development and implementation of electric utility restructuring in New Hampshire following the passage of the state's electric utility restructuring law in 1996 that outlined the move from a fully regulated electric utility model to meet customers' needs, to one where customers can choose an energy supplier in a competitive marketplace, but always have PSNH as a safety net.
Under Long's leadership, PSNH:
Substantially advanced New Hampshire's renewable energy footprint through the development of the award-winning Northern Wood Power project, which replaced a 50-MW coal-fired boiler at the company's Schiller Station in Portsmouth to burn clean wood chips; supported NH-based independent biomass power producers, including Burgess Biomass now under construction in Berlin, NH, through long-term power contracts; supported the development of Lempster Wind, NH's first wind facility, through a long-term power contract
Participated in the passage of ground-breaking legislation to improve air emissions at fossil-fired generating stations through efforts like the installation of cutting-edge emissions control technologies at PSNH's Merrimack Station in Bow
Participated in the development of New Hampshire's Climate Action Plan
Worked with NH officials to acquire the Connecticut Valley Electric Company (CVEC) in order to complete the state's implementation of electric restructuring
Developed and implemented a multi-year reliability enhancement program with state regulators to improve the company's electric reliability and system performance
Demonstrated outstanding operational performance and customer communications in the wake of five historic storms over the past four years
Helped to advance the important work of numerous non-profit, community and economic development organizations
Long currently serves on the boards of Amoskeag Industries, Inc., the New Hampshire Business Committee for the Arts, and the Granite United Way, and has been on several others during his career. He is a graduate of both the Leadership Manchester and Leadership New Hampshire programs, and was named New Hampshire Business Leader of the Year in 2006 by Business NH Magazine.
Northeast Utilities (NU) operates New England's largest energy delivery company.NU and its companies are committed to safety, reliability, environmental leadership and stewardship, as well as expanding energy options for its more than 3.5 million electric and natural gas customers in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.NU is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NU.Learn more about NU and its family of companies atwww.nu.com.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available:http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20130712005490/en/
Northeast Utilities
Caroline Pretyman, 617-424-2460
caroline.pretyman@nu.com
or
Martin Murray, 603-634-2228
martin.murray@nu.com
KEYWORDS: United States North America Connecticut Massachusetts New Hampshire
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