Richard M. Kessel
Richard M. Kessel, an expert in New York energy issues, took office as President and Chief Executive Officer of the New York Power Authority, the nation’s largest state-owned electric utility, on October 14, 2008.Since joining NYPA, Mr. Kessel has been a champion in expanding the application of the Power Authority’s hydropower resources to help preserve and add private sector jobs statewide, especially in regions hard hit by the recession such as Western New York and the North Country. He is also pressing for the development of an offshore wind power project in the Great Lakes, a 100 megawatt statewide solar energy initiative, a new transmission line to allow the importation of hydropower from Canada as well as a line from New Jersey to Manhattan, and the application of smart grid technology to NYPA’s statewide system to provide greater reliability and security. Prior to joining NYPA, Mr. Kessel served two terms as Chairman of the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) Board of Trustees. During his first term from 1989 to 1995, he was responsible for the decommissioning of the Shoreham Nuclear Power Station. His second term from 1997 to 2006 began shortly before LIPA took over the Long Island Lighting Company in 1998 and continued through the first nine years of LIPA’s operation as the nation’s third largest municipal electric utility in terms of customers served. He finished his tenure at LIPA in 2007 as its President and CEO.Mr. Kessel helped negotiate LIPA’s acquisition of the Long Island Lighting Company, which contributed to an immediate reduction of utility rates on Long Island. He improved the reliability of Long Island’s power transmission infrastructure by successfully leading the efforts to add the Cross-Sound cable from New Haven to Shoreham, and the historic Neptune Transmission system from Sayerville, New Jersey to Nassau County, New York. Both cables added nearly 1,000 megawatts of new power resources to LIPA’s supply and linked Long Island for the first time directly to two new power pools. At the same time, he led an unprecedented effort to implement clean energy and energy efficiency strategies that have helped increase Long Island’s renewable energy resources while helping residential and commercial customers lower their energy use and bills. Mr. Kessel began his career in public service as Executive Director of the New York State Consumer Protection Board from 1984 to 1995, where he successfully negotiated rate freeze agreements with Consolidated Edison, Niagara Mohawk, and Orange and Rockland Utilities. He was a Professor of Consumer Studies at Five Towns College from 1995 to 1997 and also served on the Board of Trustees for Nassau County Community College from 1981 to 2000, and was appointed to serve on the Nassau County Interim Finance Authority from 2000 until 2007.Mr. Kessel attended Colgate University, received a bachelor's degree from New York University and his master's degree from Columbia University.