Getting to know NJUA - Michele O'Connell

O'Connell was born and raised in Wood-Ridge, and lives in Cedar Grove with her husband, high school-aged daughter and lovable goldendoodle.

How did you get into this field?

“I have a very tightknit relationship with extended members of my family, many of whom are engineers. Growing up I was particularly close with a female cousin who was a chemical engineer and whom I deeply admired and considered a mentor. Math was my best and favorite subject in school, and I was always fascinated by how a simple light switch gave us light. 

From that point, I had great interest in seeking a career in electrical engineering and ultimately graduated from the New Jersey Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering.

Part of my motivation now actually started with that curiosity about the light switch. It happened at a time when few were paying attention to energy, but I now look at my daughter - and the next generation – and I see a real focus on our sector and the need for clean energy to help the environment. It’s never been a more exciting and challenging time in our industry.”

What accomplishments are you most proud of in your career?

“In over two decades working for Con Edison, I am very proud of the strong relationships I have built with colleagues and employees. Because of those positive and constructive relationships, we have been able to plan, design and execute on many reliable, resilient, and clean energy infrastructure projects across every borough of New York City and Westchester County.

I am also proud to have led and worked on numerous teams that accomplished critical programs which greatly helped our customers cope with the economic hardship that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a new customer care and billing system that successfully replaced a legacy system which had been in use for over 50 years.”

What are some of the biggest challenges facing the utilities industry this year?

“It’s no secret that climate change is bringing more frequent and severe storms that impact our infrastructure. In response to that, O&R/Rockland Electric conducted analytical studies and based on the science, we developed and released our Climate Change Resilience Plan last November. 

Through this plan, we highlighted the investments our company will be making to upgrade and strengthen our equipment, particularly in disadvantaged and historically marginalized communities. We have an obligation to protect all our customers from unexpected service disruptions, all while continuing to provide world-class safety, reliability, and industry-leading experience. In 2023 alone, approximately $300 million in several clean, climate resilient, and system reliability and enhancement projects were completed throughout our service territory. 

I am proud to say that over the next 10 years, O&R/Rockland Electric will be investing $10 billion in significant electric infrastructure and customer incentives to advance the clean energy future that our customers expect and deserve.”

What do you find the most fulfilling in your new role?

“Getting to know the amazing and diverse workforce here at O&R/Rockland Electric. Our team is our greatest asset, and our people remain at the heart of everything we do. In addition to focusing on our clean energy goals, our employees, in every department, are out every day developing relationships with our customers and improving all aspects of our communities.

I’ve also had the privilege of meeting and getting to know various community leaders throughout the service territory, all who share our vision to combat the effects of climate change, advance social justice in the communities we serve, and create green jobs across our service territory.” 

How do you relax?

“My happy place is the ocean! I love spending every chance I get on the many beaches of the Jersey Shore with my family. I truly enjoy the warm weather so sitting outside for dinner or going for a walk at dusk brings me great relaxation.”

If you were only allowed to listen to one singer/band for the rest of your life, who would it be?

“This is extremely difficult as I am a listener of many genres of music. If I HAD to pick just one I would say Bon Jovi. I am Jersey through and through!”

Can you be found on social media?

Yes, I can be found on LinkedIn: Michele O’Connell, President and CEO at Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc.