Michael Niggli
About Michael Niggli
Independent director and Founding Chairman at ESS Tech, Inc. (GWH). Age 75; director since June 2015; served as Chairman from June 2015 to August 2023 and as Founding Chairman since August 2023. Former President & COO of San Diego Gas & Electric (2000–2013); previously Chairman/CEO/President of Sierra Pacific Resources and Nevada Power Company. Education: B.S. Electrical Engineering (Cal State Long Beach), M.S. Electrical Engineering (San Diego State), Advanced Management Program (Harvard Business School); founded the graduate power engineering program at San Diego State University and lectured for five years.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego Gas & Electric (Sempra) | President & Chief Operating Officer | 2000–2013 | Led utility operations, risk management and industry leadership |
| Sierra Pacific Resources | Chairman, CEO & President | Prior to SDG&E tenure (dates not specified) | Led regulated utility holding company |
| Nevada Power Company | Chairman, CEO & President | Prior to SDG&E tenure (dates not specified) | Led regulated utility |
| San Diego State University | Founder, graduate power engineering program; part-time lecturer | 5 years (dates not specified) | Developed power engineering curriculum; industry thought leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (NYSE: PCG) | Director | Current | Large regulated utility; potential industry interlock (no transactions disclosed with ESS) |
| Avanea Energy Acquisition Corp. (Nasdaq: AVEA) | Director | Current | SPAC/energy; governance exposure |
| Several privately held companies | Director | Current | Not individually named |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board determined all directors, including Mr. Niggli, are independent under NYSE rules; audit and compensation committees comprised of independent directors; audit members meet Rule 10A‑3 criteria.
- Board leadership: Roles of chair and CEO separated; Chair (Harry Quarls) serves as lead independent director under NYSE rules.
- Committees:
- Audit Committee: Members—Alexi Wellman (Chair), Rich Hossfeld, Michael R. Niggli; held 5 meetings in 2024.
- Compensation Committee: Members—Harry Quarls (Chair), Raffi Garabedian, Kyle Teamey; held 3 meetings in 2024.
- Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee: Members—Sandeep Nijhawan (Chair), Michael R. Niggli, Kyle Teamey; held 4 meetings in 2024.
- Attendance: Board held 17 meetings in 2024; all directors met ≥75% attendance except Raffi Garabedian (65%). Mr. Niggli met the attendance threshold.
- Executive sessions: Non‑employee/independent directors meet in executive session periodically per NYSE rules.
Fixed Compensation
| Component | FY2025 Policy | FY2024 Amounts for M. Niggli | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Board Cash Retainer | $50,000 (foregone by directors for FY2025) | $65,000 | Paid quarterly in arrears when applicable |
| Committee Chair Fees | Audit: $20,000; Comp: $15,000; Nominating: $10,000 | — | Niggli was not a chair |
| Committee Member Fees | Audit: $10,000; Comp: $7,500; Nominating: $5,000 | Included in fees above | Member of Audit and Nominating |
| Meeting Fees | None | — | — |
| Total Cash (2024) | — | $65,000 | — |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award Type | Grant Detail | Vesting | FY2024 Stock Awards (Fair Value) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU (Non‑employee directors) | 13,513 shares each annual meeting | Vests on earlier of 1-year anniversary or day prior to next annual meeting (service condition) | $158,237 |
| Initial RSU (New director) | $200,000 value, rounded down to shares | Vests in 1/3 annually over 3 years (service condition) | N/A for Nigg |