Daniel Eichhorn Shares the Improvements Made to PSEG Long Island and Upcoming Trends in Energy Usage

CAPTION:

Daniel Eichhorn (second from right), President and Chief Operating Officer, PSEG Long Island, was the guest speaker at the LIMBA (Long Island Metro Business Action) meeting on October 6 at the Courtyard Marriott in Ronkonkoma. Also pictured (left to right): Ken Nevor, Member, LIMBA; Ernie Fazio, Chairman, LIMBA; and Bill Miller, Treasurer, LIMBA.

On October 6, Daniel Eichhorn, President and Chief Operating Officer, PSEG Long Island, was the guest speaker at the LIMBA (Long Island Metro Business Action) meeting at the Courtyard Marriott in Ronkonkoma, where he spoke about how the utility is upgrading the electric system to provide best-in-class reliability and customer experience and what energy usage will look like in the future.

Mr. Eichhorn said the utility’s goal is to improve reliability and it is doing so by upgrading its grid so its technicians are kept up-to-date on the number and the location of power outages. In the case of major storms, he said, PSEG Long Island will attempt to restore power within 24 to 48 hours. To help to prevent outages, Mr. Eichhorn said, PSEG Long Island is elevating its substations in flood-prone areas and installing taller and sturdier utility poles with stronger wires that are more storm-resistant.

He pointed out that, of the 24 metrics used by the state to determine emergency preparedness, PSEG Long Island exceeded the criteria in 23 of those metrics. In addition, a JD Power survey found that, over the last three years, PSEG Long Island showed the most improvement of all the other energy suppliers who were surveyed.

In focusing on customer satisfaction, Mr. Eichhorn said that the utility has created a newer, more user-friendly website and made updates to its call center. He praised the employees not only for their dedication to assisting the customers, but for giving back to the community. Its employees perform park cleanups and participate in the March of Dimes, the Marcum Workplace Challenge and Making Strides Against Breast Cancer; in these three events, PSEG Long Island was the No. 1 participant and one of the top three fundraisers. He emphasized all the money is raised by the employees, not the company.

Mr. Eichhorn discussed the trends in energy usage and how the utility is addressing the public’s needs. He pointed out that energy usage has been flat for the last seven years, as more residents buy energy-efficient homes and install solar panels on their houses. With more people driving electric or hybrid vehicles, he said, the company is providing more charging stations to meet these needs. Future plans include building a battery storage facility at the Montauk substation which is expected to be completed by summer 2018. PSEG Long Island is also looking into fuel cell technology in order to cut down on carbon dioxide emissions.

Prior to becoming PSEG Long Island’s President and COO, Mr. Eichhorn was Vice President of Customer Service. He has worked in PSEG for almost 30 years, starting as an electrical engineer. He followed the same career path as his father, who worked as a line man for Philadelphia Electric for more than 30 years.

For more information, or for a list of upcoming events, call (631) 757-1698 or visit www.limba.net.

###

About LIMBA

Since 1968, LIMBA (Long Island Metro Business Action) has been Long Island’s catalyst for economic investment and improvement, sponsoring lively breakfast forums featuring Long Island business activists and government officials. Its mission is to promote and address issues that affect the quality of life on Long Island. For more information, call (631) 757-1698 or visit www.limba.net.