Veteran PSEG executive Rodney Dickens to retire this month

Rodney Dickens, a veteran PSEG executive who returned to the company in 2022 to help oversee its Long Island operations, is retiring effective July 21, PSEG confirmed.

Dickens served most recently as executive adviser to provide “oversight and leadership on Long Island," where he developed and drove strategy and supported "all organizational initiatives designed to achieve performance metrics and improve customer satisfaction," according to PSEG. He started in that role in April 2022.

He often signed divisionwide emails announcing major developments at the company, including those relating to PSEG’s contract with LIPA, but he was rarely seen at LIPA or its monthly board meetings. 

Dickens at one point had been slated to become the chief operating officer and president of PSEG Long Island, but LIPA’s board and PSEG differed on the appointment and he ultimately took the advisory role in New Jersey. 

Dave Lyons, a finance chief for PSEG Long Island, took the chief operating officer and president role on an interim basis, which he currently holds. PSEG is expected to name a permanent president to the role once its contract extension with LIPA is finalized.

In addition to being a top adviser to PSEG, Dickens also registered as a lobbyist for the company in New York State. His salary is not among those listed as among the executive or managing director levels whose pay is disclosed each year. Lyons in 2024 made more than $837,000 in total compensation, while LIPA’s interim chief executive John Rhodes took home $365,000 last year.

Dickens, a licensed electrical engineer, has worked for utility companies for more than 32 years, according to his company bio, and another 10 years as a consultant to utilities.

He once served as president of Allegheny Power, a utility of some 2,600 workers and 1.5 million customers in Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia. Prior to that he  spent 32 years at PSEG, including as head of one of the company’s four electric divisions. He also served as PSEG's vice president of asset management and centralized services.

In a statement, PSEG said, “We thank Rodney for his numerous contributions to the success our company.”

By Mark Harrington

mark.harrington@newsday.comMHarringtonNews

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