CEO of company blamed in ice storm gets bonus

BOSTON -- The chief executive of a power company widely criticized for its response to December ice storm has received a $300,000 performance bonus.

The Boston Globe, citing Securities and Exchange Commission findings, reported that the bonus moved Robert Schoenberger's total compensation last year to $1.3 million at Unitil Corp.

After the storm, thousands of customers in New Hampshire and the Fitchburg area lost power, some for as long as two weeks.

Fitchburg Rep. Stephen DiNatale called the bonus another insult to the customers the company claims to care about.

Company spokesman Wesley Eberle wouldn't comment on the payment, but defended Schoenberger as an effective leader and said Unitil was well-run.

The Globe reported the largest part of Schoeberger's bonus was based on company earnings, with the smallest part based on customer satisfaction.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)