MyHydro, an Independent Power Producer (IPP) based in New York, dedicated to developing, financing, building, and operating zero-emission hydropower plants, has announced the appointment of Michael J. Spolum as its new Chief Executive Officer.
Spolum takes the helm as CEO from Founder and Chairman Paul Hinks, who has served as CEO since the company's inception. Hinks will continue as Chairman. This leadership transition coincides with MyHydro's ongoing efforts to enhance its position in the renewable energy sector.
Bringing over two decades of experience in project development and sustainable natural resource management, Spolum most recently served as a Foreign Service Officer at the US Agency for International Development (USAID), specializing in energy, the environment, and infrastructure. Prior to USAID, he was Director of Business Development for Natel Energy, MyHydro’s San Francisco-based technology partner, where he managed the company’s interests in the Indo-Pacific and African markets. He also served as Special Assistant to the President of Myanmar under the auspicesof a Fulbright Public Policy Fellowship and holds a master’s degree in international development policy from Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy.
"We are very pleased to welcome Michael to MyHydro as we strengthen our management team and expand our geographical footprint outside of Africa” said Chairman Paul Hinks. “Unlike PV solar and wind, hydropower provides baseload capacity that is critical for developing countries seeking to decarbonize while at the same time balancing the increase in intermittent renewable energy sources."
Spolum's has a proven track record of driving strategic growth, innovation, and sustainability in emergingmarkets in the energy, water, and natural resource sectors. In collaboration with the seasoned management team, he will guide the company’s mission of empowering communities and corporate clients by delivering affordable, reliable, and renewable electricity.
Expressing his enthusiasm about joining MyHydro, Spolum stated: "Having worked closely with the MyHydro team during my time at Natel Energy, I am honored and excited to join the organization. MyHydro’s commitment to sustainable, climate-resilient hydropower through the complementary conservation and restoration of source watersheds is unique to our industry. Our projects will generate affordable electricity – a prerequisite to sustainable socio-economic growth and development – while also creating jobs and protecting the natural resources essential for climate change adaptation, locally and globally. Together with our dedicated team and partners, MyHydro will redefine the sustainable hydropower landscape to become the preferred development partner for communities, corporate clients, and host-country governments.”
MyHydro, currently engaged in developing distributed hydropower projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Cameroon, and South Africa, is also exploring additional projects in various African countries. In 2024, the company plans to expand its development efforts into several Asian geographies.
