Former PSEG Long Island president gives up chairman role

David Daly, the one-time president of PSEG Long Island who went on to hold several executive-level posts at the company's New Jersey headquarters, has relinquished the role of chairman of the Long Island subsidiary, and is "no longer in the management chain" here, the company said.

Daly this year made headlines by being the only PSEG Long Island official whose salary was publicly reported: his 2019 compensation was $2.82 million, according to securities filings.

PSEG Long Island spokeswoman Ashley Chauvin said the change in Daly's role came with a November reorganization that "will create clearer lines of accountability, improve alignment across the organization and provide more focused responsibilities, enabling the Long Island organization to operate more effectively and deliver better results for our customers."

Dan Eichhorn, president and chief operating officer of PSEG Long Island, made reference to the change in reporting structure during a blistering session with LIPA trustees on Wednesday, noting his reporting directly to a top executive of the parent company. LIPA officials have accused PSEG of subordinating Long Island’s interest to top management in Newark, which LIPA chief Tom Falcone has criticized as "absentee." Eichhorn said he’d also given up his dual roles of chief customer officer for both PSEG Long Island and PSE&G, the New Jersey electric and gas utility, and was focusing his full attention on Long Island.

Eichhorn, Chauvin said, "is now solely focused on leading PSEG Long Island, reporting directly into Ralph LaRossa," the chief operating officer for the parent Public Service Enterprise Group. LaRossa, she said, has also taken on the role of chairman of the board of PSEG Long Island.

PSEG’s website still lists Daly as president and chief operating officers of PSEG Utilities and Clean Energy Ventures (and, incorrectly chairman of PSEG Long Island). Chauvin said he "continues in his role as president of PSE&G."

Daly, who passed the reins of PSEG Long Island to Eichhorn in October 2017, never appeared publicly but is said to have played a behind-the-scenes role in the restoration efforts on Long Island when Tropical Storm Isaias knocked out power to more than 500,000 Long Island ratepayers.

He was also the PSEG executive in charge on Long Island when the company established operations on the island, after outbidding National Grid for the contract in 2012. Daly started with PSEG Long Island in 2013, a year in advance of PSEG’s takeover of the management of the Long Island electric grid, in January of 2014. He was president when the company chose the outage management system reported to have been central to restoration problems.

By Mark Harrington

mark.harrington@newsday.comMHarringtonNews

Mark Harrington, a Newsday reporter since 1999, covers energy, wineries, Indian affairs and fisheries.