Patriot Hydro, an LS Power portfolio company that owns and operates 39 hydroelectric power generation projects totaling 311 megawatts across 10 states, has appointed a dedicated executive leadership team to oversee operations and support the company’s next phase of growth. Nathan Dixon will serve as Chief Executive Officer, Matt Stanley as Chief Operating Officer, and Daniel Yang as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Commercial Officer.
Dixon and Yang join Patriot Hydro from LS Power, while Stanley has been promoted from his previous role as an Asset Manager at Patriot. Together, the executives bring experience spanning power generation, hydroelectric operations, asset management, finance and commercial activities.
The creation of a dedicated leadership team gives Patriot a management structure focused specifically on its hydroelectric portfolio as electricity demand increases across the U.S. and reliable generation resources become increasingly important to the broader power system.
Patriot’s portfolio consists of 39 hydroelectric power plants operating across the Northeast, New England, Mid-Atlantic, South and Western regions of the United States.
The assets span six independent system operators, giving the company exposure to multiple regional electricity markets and grid environments.
Hydroelectric generation can play several roles within the power system. In addition to producing renewable electricity, hydro assets can provide reliable generation that complements variable renewable resources such as wind and solar.
Patriot and LS Power see that reliability becoming increasingly valuable as power demand rises from data centers, industrial facilities, electrification and broader economic growth.
Dixon joins Patriot after most recently serving as Senior Vice President of Asset Management at LS Power.
During his tenure at LS Power, he held increasingly senior positions overseeing power generation assets, giving him direct experience managing infrastructure across the company’s broader generation portfolio.
Stanley brings direct operating experience from inside Patriot Hydro.
Before his promotion to Chief Operating Officer, he served as an Asset Manager at the company, where his responsibilities involved Patriot’s hydroelectric operations and asset management activities.
His elevation gives the executive team continuity from the existing organization while placing a senior leader with direct knowledge of Patriot’s portfolio in charge of operational execution.
Yang joins Patriot from LS Power, where he most recently served as a Director supporting financial and commercial activities across the firm’s power generation portfolio.
As CFO and Chief Commercial Officer, his responsibilities bring together financial management and commercial strategy as Patriot evaluates operating opportunities and potential future growth.
The appointments come as LS Power continues to expand its broader North American energy infrastructure platform.
Founded in 1990, LS Power develops, invests in and operates businesses spanning power generation, transmission and other energy infrastructure.
Since its founding, the company has developed or acquired approximately 50,000 MW of generation, including utility-scale solar, wind, hydroelectric, battery energy storage and natural gas-fired facilities.
Its transmission business, LS Power Grid, operates seven transmission utilities and has developed more than 780 miles of high-voltage transmission infrastructure, with another 400-plus miles currently in construction or development.
LS Power also invests in businesses involving electric vehicle charging, demand response, microgrids, renewable fuels and waste-to-energy technologies.
The company said it has raised more than $85 billion in debt and equity capital over its history to support North American infrastructure projects and businesses.
Patriot Hydro represents LS Power’s dedicated hydroelectric operating platform within that larger energy infrastructure portfolio.
The new management structure is intended to provide Patriot with more focused executive leadership as it manages its existing 311 MW portfolio and considers opportunities for future growth.
For Dixon, the company’s opportunity is tied to a changing U.S. electricity system in which dependable power generation is becoming increasingly valuable.
The combination of rising electricity demand and the continuing expansion of renewable generation has increased interest in resources capable of providing reliable output while maintaining low or zero direct operating emissions.
Patriot’s existing geographic diversification also gives the company a base from which to operate across several different U.S. power markets rather than relying on a single regional system.
The company’s stated strategy centers on operational excellence and building a larger hydropower platform while continuing to provide renewable electricity to the communities served by its facilities.
KEY QUOTES:
“Hydropower is an increasingly important part of the U.S. power system, providing reliable, emissions-free generation at a time when electricity demand is accelerating across the country. Patriot is well positioned to meet this moment. Establishing a dedicated leadership team with deep power generation expertise will build on the strength of the business and position Patriot for its next phase of growth. We have tremendous confidence in Nathan, Matt, Daniel and the team they are building.”
Nate Hanson, President of LS Power Generation
“America’s power needs are changing rapidly, creating an important moment for hydropower and the role it will play in the nation’s energy future. Patriot has the expertise and operating capabilities to meet the growing need for reliable, renewable power. The Patriot team brings deep experience and a shared commitment to operational excellence as we continue to build a leading hydropower platform.”
Nathan Dixon, Chief Executive Officer of Patriot Hydro
