PG&E names industry vet Vesey as utility head

Holding company PG&E Corp., operating under bankruptcy court protection, said the board of its Pacific Gas and Electric Co. unit (also in bankruptcy), has appointed Andrew M. Vesey CEO and president, effective Aug. 19.

He will report to PG&E Corp. CEO and president Bill Johnson, Kallanish Energy reports.

In his role, Vesey will have responsibility for the utility’s operations, including safety, electric and gas operations, power generation, and customer care.

“Andy is a focused and talented leader with the demonstrated experience to help Pg&e improve our safety and operational performance, while also being a strong advocate for clean energy solutions. We have full confidence in Andy to lead change and deliver results across our safety and operational areas including electric, gas, generation and customer teams,” said Johnson.

Vesey brings more than 35 years of diverse utility industry experience to Pg&e, including several times as CEO at major energy companies.

Prior to joining Pg&e, Vesey served as managing director and CEO of Australia-based AGL Energy Ltd., an integrated Australian energy company serving roughly 3.7 million electric and natural gas customers, and operating 20% of the country’s power generation capacity.

Before AGL, he also worked at AES Corp., where he was chief operating officer, and Entergy Corp. and Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., serving as a senior executive at both companies.

Vesey also spent a number of years as an energy industry consultant at firms that included FTI Consulting and Ernst & Young.

Beginning day one, my primary focus areas are making sure that we’re safely operating our systems every day for our customers and communities, that we’re following all of the laws and rules that govern our work, and that we’re valuing the diversity of ideas and experiences of our employees to help us improve and innovate,” Vesey said.

Operating under Bankruptcy Court protection since March, Pg&e is in the middle of numerous lawsuits due to its involvement in California wildfires over the last three years.

This post appeared first on Kallanish Energy News.