PALO ALTO, Calif., April 16, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) announced the election of Gil C. Quiniones, president and CEO of the New York Power Authority (NYPA), as chairman of the Board of Directors. He previously had served as vice chair of the board. Five other members, all of whom will serve four-year terms, were also elected to the board.
Quiniones is responsible for developing and implementing NYPA's strategic vision and mission. NYPA is the nation's largest state-owned electric utility, owning and operating one-third of New York State's high voltage transmission system and providing a substantial portion of the state's electricity from its clean power plants.
Current board member Patricia Vincent-Collawn, chairman, president and CEO of PNM Resources, was elected vice chair of the board.
Newly elected were: Lisa Johnson, who most recently served as an interim director and is CEO and general manager of Seminole Electric Cooperative, Inc.; Warner Baxter, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Ameren Corporation; Mark McCullough, executive vice president of generation at AEP; William Spence, chairman, president and CEO officer of PPL Corporation; and, Dr. Seok Cho, who also served as an interim director and is president and CEO of the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Company (KHNP).
Elliot Mainzer, administrator and CEO of Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), has been selected by the federal agency to fill the permanent BPA seat on the board.
Also, David Coen, a retired member of the Vermont Public Service Board and former president of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, who formerly filled an external director vacancy, will now serve a four-year term. Robert W. Jones, senior advisor to Morgan Stanley, will also serve a four-year term as an external director.
Finally, the board appointed Thava Govender, group executive of Transmission and Sustainability of Eskom Holdings of South Africa, and Enrico Viale, head of Global Generation at Enel of Italy, to fill interim terms.
"The guidance that Gil and our new board members will provide will be of critical importance as we work to create the framework for a more dynamic, adaptive and reliable power system," said Michael W. Howard, EPRI president and CEO.
About EPRI:
The Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. (EPRI, www.epri.com) conducts research and development relating to the generation, delivery and use of electricity for the benefit of the public. An independent, nonprofit organization, EPRI brings together its scientists and engineers as well as experts from academia and industry to help address challenges in electricity, including reliability, efficiency, affordability, health, safety and the environment. EPRI's members represent approximately 90 percent of the electricity generated and delivered in the United States, and international participation extends to more than 30 countries. EPRI's principal offices and laboratories are located in Palo Alto, Calif.; Charlotte, NC; Knoxville, Tenn.; and Lenox, Mass.