USA Power Systems Development & Asset Management Strategy
Co-Located with SmartGrid Engage & US Nuclear Energy Forums
Including Power Project Financing, Generation & T&D Streams
1st - 3rd December 2026 | Austin | Texas | USA
2026 USA Power Summit Speakers & Keynote Highlights
Session: Building the Grid of the Future: Reliability, Market Evolution, and Infrastructure Investment in America's Fastest-Growing Power System
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Managing unprecedented electricity demand driven by AI, hyperscale data centres, electrification, advanced manufacturing and continued population and economic growth
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Maintaining grid reliability while enabling renewable generation, battery storage and major transmission infrastructure investment across a rapidly evolving power system
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Advancing market frameworks, regulatory policy and system planning to support reliability, resilience, affordability and long-term resource adequacy
Confirmed Keynote Speaker: Chad V. Seely, Senior Vice President | ERCOT
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Session: Building the Resilient Public Utility: Infrastructure Modernization, Affordability and Community Growth
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Modernizing electric, water and wastewater infrastructure to prepare utility systems for population growth, commercial development and increasing long-term community needs
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Balancing reliability, resilience and affordability while prioritizing major capital investment across complex and aging infrastructure portfolios and strengthening preparedness for extreme weather
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Leveraging technology, automation, data and advanced asset management while building the workforce, partnerships and organizational capabilities required to deliver long-term utility transformation
Confirmed Speaker: Marilyn D. Gilbert, General Manager & Chief Executive Officer | Brownsville Public Utilities Board (BPUB)
& President-Elect | Texas Public Power Association
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Session: Regulating for the Demand Surge: Enabling Infrastructure Investment, Reliability and Economic Growth
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Creating forward-looking regulatory frameworks that enable timely transmission and distribution investment as demand accelerates from data centres, advanced manufacturing, industrial expansion and broader economic growth.
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Balancing major infrastructure requirements with customer affordability while improving regulatory visibility and investment certainty for long-term utility capital programmes..
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Strengthening coordination among utilities, regulators, policymakers, ERCOT, communities and large-load customers to address infrastructure-development timelines while maintaining reliability and resilience.
Confirmed Speaker: Jason M. Ryan, Executive Vice President, Regulatory Services & Government Affairs | CenterPoint Energy
Session: Developing the Future Utility: Grid Modernization, Infrastructure Investment, and Reliable Power for a Growing Energy Economy
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Meeting increasing electricity demand driven by population growth, electrification, advanced manufacturing, AI and data centres
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Investing in resilient transmission and distribution infrastructure while modernising grid operations to strengthen reliability, affordability and operational performance
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Utilising digital technologies, automation and long-term infrastructure planning to build a resilient, sustainable and future-ready energy system
Confirmed Keynote Speaker: Kelly Tomblin, President & Chief Executive Officer | El Paso Electric
Session: Modernising Energy Delivery to Meet Rapid Population Growth and Rising Demand
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Strengthening grid reliability and resilience to support rapid population growth, increasing electricity demand and evolving customer needs
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Prioritising strategic transmission and distribution infrastructure investments while improving operational performance and system resilience
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Balancing affordability, reliability and long-term infrastructure requirements to build a more resilient and future-ready energy delivery system
Confirmed Speaker: Jonathan Tijerina, Senior Vice President, Energy Delivery Services | CPS Energy
Rene Kuczkowski
Session: Asset Health Management: Maximizing Grid Performance & Reliability
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Optimizing grid performance and efficiency.
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Extending asset lifespan through proactive maintenance.
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Reducing operational disruptions through predictive diagnostics.
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Implementing cost-effective strategies for long-term asset sustainability.
Speaker: Kenneth G. Peterson, Vice President of Operations, Quanta Services
Session: Unlocking the Next Generation of Grid Investment: Transmission Policy, Interconnection Reform and System Reliability
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Preparing transmission networks for accelerating electricity demand and new generation while addressing the growing complexity of generation and load interconnections
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Advancing interconnection reform and transmission policy to enable timely infrastructure investment while protecting system reliability and meeting regulatory requirements
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Strengthening coordination among utilities, system operators, regulators and developers to align regional planning with rapidly evolving system needs and long-term transmission expansion
Confirmed Speaker: Vandan Divatia, Vice President, Transmission Policy, Interconnections & Compliance | Eversource Energy
Session: The Utility of the Future: Technology, Transformation and Strategic Investment for a Rapidly Changing Grid
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Harnessing digitalisation, data and emerging technologies to transform utility strategy, decision-making and operating models alongside major physical grid investment
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Leveraging technology and organisational transformation to strengthen reliability, resilience and operational performance while building the capabilities and culture required to deliver change at scale
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Developing a long-term utility strategy that aligns technology and strategic investment with accelerating electricity demand, evolving generation resources and rapidly changing grid requirements
Confirmed Speaker: Khalil Shalabi, Executive Vice President, Strategic Initiatives & Transformation | Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA)
Session: Building a Resilient Generation Portfolio: Preparing Power Supply for the Next Decade
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Strengthening generation planning and resource adequacy to ensure sufficient capacity as electricity demand and system requirements continue to evolve.
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Building a resilient and diversified generation portfolio capable of maintaining operational reliability through changing market conditions, extreme weather and emerging system risks.
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Prioritising long-term investment decisions across generation, power procurement and new energy resources to support reliability, affordability and future customer needs.
Confirmed Speaker: Gary Stephenson, Senior Vice President, Power | Long Island Power Authority (LIPA)
Session: The AI-Powered Utility: Turning Technology and Innovation into Reliability, Productivity and Grid Intelligence
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Scaling AI, advanced analytics and automation across utility operations to strengthen grid and asset-management decisions, improve workforce productivity and deliver measurable operational value.
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Modernizing enterprise technology, cloud and data architecture while strengthening cybersecurity and resilience to create a secure, trusted foundation for increasingly digital utility operations.
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Connecting technology investment with reliability, customer outcomes and business performance while developing the governance, workforce and organizational capabilities required for sustainable digital transformation
Confirmed Speaker: Jason Richard Donaldson, SVP & Chief Information Officer | Duke Energy
Session: From EV Load to Grid Resource: Managed Charging, Flexibility and the Next Electrification Wave
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Preparing distribution infrastructure for growing residential, workplace, public and commercial-fleet charging demand while using managed charging to reduce pressure on constrained periods and locations.
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Integrating EV charging with energy storage, demand response, distributed energy resources and emerging vehicle-to-grid capabilities to create greater flexibility and system value.
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Leveraging charging data, analytics and grid intelligence to improve forecasting and move emerging technologies from pilot programmes toward scalable, utility-wide deployment
Confirmed Speaker: Cameron Freberg, Manager, Electric Vehicles & Emerging Technologies | Austin Energy
Session: Planning the Grid Before the Load Arrives: Transmission Strategy for an Era of Unprecedented Demand
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Preparing transmission systems for rapidly growing demand from data centres, advanced manufacturing, electrification and other large loads through forward-looking demand scenarios and proactive infrastructure planning.
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Identifying resilient transmission investments that address congestion, transfer capability and reliability constraints while accommodating changing generation portfolios, interconnections and regional power flows
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Leveraging advanced modelling, analytics and scenario planning while strengthening coordination among transmission owners, system operators, regulators, generators and large-load customers to support long-term grid development.
Confirmed Speaker: Vinit Gupta, Vice President of Transmission Planning | ITC Holdings Corp.
Session: Beyond the Meter: Partnering with Commercial & Industrial Customers for America’s Next Load-Growth Era
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Strengthening early engagement with commercial and industrial customers to translate expansion plans, data-centre development and other major new loads into actionable capacity, infrastructure and energization requirements
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Coordinating customer, system-planning and infrastructure priorities while managing expectations around capacity availability, reliability, project timelines and the requirements associated with serving large new loads
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Leveraging customer and load intelligence alongside energy efficiency, demand flexibility, distributed resources and other solutions to support economic growth while creating sustainable value for the utility, existing customers and the communities it serves
Confirmed Speaker: Jene Reese, Director for Customer Sales and Service | Omaha Public Power District (OPPD)
Session: Smarter Systems, Stronger Grids: Integrating SCADA, AMI & GIS for Operational Excellence in the Digital Utility
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SCADA, AMI, OMS, and GIS Integration: Enhancing real-time monitoring, data analytics, and operational efficiency.
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IT/OT Convergence; Bridging the gap between information and operational technologies for smarter grid management.
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Optimized Grid Performance: Leveraging integrated platforms to streamline utility workflows and improve decision-making.
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Case Studies of successful implementations. and the resulting operational improvements.
Speaker: Russell Pennington, Technical Services Manager, Northcentral Electric Cooperative
Session: Microreactors & SMRs: Accelerating Deployment for Grid Flexibility and Resiliences
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Supporting remote grids and critical infrastructure through compact, flexible nuclear technology.
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Deployment case studies and pre-licensing pathways across federal and commercial energy sites.
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Enabling policies and NRC advancements that streamline design certification and site selection.
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The role of SMRs and microreactors in delivering clean, dispatchable baseload energy for the evolving grid.
Inv. Speaker: Christopher Nolan, Senior Advisor | PowerN
Former Vice President, New Nuclear Generation Strategy & Regulatory Engagement | Duke Energy
International Power Speakers & Advisory Board
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Session: Future-Proofing Distribution & Transmission Grids | Strategic Innovations for a Resilient Energy Transition
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Managing the challenges of integrating renewable energy sources into the control center operations.
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DSO interfacing challenges and solutions, experiences and case-studies
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Best practices for managing and optimizing control center performance.
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The importance of real-time monitoring and data analytics in control center operations.
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The role of advanced technologies in control center operations such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning.
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Case studies of successful control center optimization projects and their impact on the integrated energy system
Inv. Speaker: Jan Vorrink, Head of Future Design System Operations & Senior Advisor for International Affairs, TENNET*
Session: Leading Large-Scale Grid Expansion and Digital Transformation in an Era of System Complexity
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Managing large-scale grid expansion and modernisation programmes across the Netherlands to support electrification and decentralised generation growth
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Integrating physical grid infrastructure with advanced digital and OT systems while safeguarding operational reliability
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Embedding cybersecurity as both an operational safeguard and a governance priority within distribution system operator strategy
Strengthening executive decision-making frameworks amid rising system complexity, congestion, and regulatory pressure -
Maintaining societal trust and stakeholder confidence during critical infrastructure transformation
Inv. Speaker: Joost Van Gemeren, Head of Engineering & Advisory Office | Stedin*
Session: Resilient by Design: Embedding Climate Strategy and Sustainability into Distribution Networks
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How Westnetz is engineering climate-resilient distribution networks, embedding extreme-weather modelling and long-term asset resilience directly into grid investment planning
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Transitioning to SF₆-free switchgear and lower-carbon grid equipment while maintaining reliability across one of Europe’s largest distribution networks.
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Using advanced grid data and digital network models to manage accelerating DER growth, electrification demand, and increasingly dynamic power flows.
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Delivering nature-positive network expansion, balancing biodiversity protection with the urgent need for faster grid reinforcement and permitting approvals.
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Preparing the distribution system for sector coupling, hydrogen infrastructure and large-scale electrification, redefining the role of the DSO in Europe’s future energy system
Inv. Speaker: Alexandra Mateeva, Head of Sustainability & Resilience | Westnetz*
Session: And - Not Or: How Data Centres Accelerate Sustainable Cities, Just Not the Way You Think
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Utilising data centres to anchor investors in shared urban energy infrastructure: funding grid and heat networks that communities alone cannot justify
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The difference between location-flexible and latency-sensitive compute, and why it matters for city planning
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Real-world evidence from E.ON’s integrated data centre district energy projects
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How integrated local energy systems with features such as private wire, waste heat recovery, battery storage can resolve the false choice between powering cities and powering data centres
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Why the mutual acceleration case - faster development for both data centres and urban communities - is the new frontier
Inv. Speaker: John Hatton, Data Centre Energy Solutions | e.on*
Session: From Curtailment to Revenue: How Utilities Are Monetising Power-to-Heat + Thermal Storage
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Driving innovation through P2H + Thermal Storage: dispatching a 15,6 MW, ~4 hrs depth, hybrid system with direct electrical heaters and thermal energy storage at Pepsico in North Holland - the largest operational system in Europe.
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Growing policy support: Government subsidies for electrification are increasing, which is important as they are necessary (alongside long-term partnerships) for large CAPEX electrification solutions
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Optimizing flexibility: Using Eneco's large VPP and a Liander flexible grid contract allowing use of flexibility in the power markets to optimize the business case
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Providing optionality: Adding ~4hrs thermal storage depth decouples heat demand and renewable power production enabling higher utilisation and adds optionality on congested grids
Inv. Speaker: Bram Smeets, Director Flexible Generation & Storage | ENECO
Session: Delivering a Fossil-Free Future: Vattenfall’s Blueprint for Grid Decarbonisation & Sector Electrification in the Netherlands
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Accelerating electrification across heavy industry, heating and transport to reduce fossil dependency and enable sector integration
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Advancing smart grid investments, storage solutions and digital innovation to address congestion and optimise renewable integration
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Leveraging strategic partnerships, regulatory alignment and long-term infrastructure planning to achieve net-zero targets
Inv. Speaker: Cindy Kroon, CEO | Vattenfall (Netherlands)
Session: Lessons, Investments & Partnerships to Future-Proof Power Networks
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How to turn the Iberian blackout’s lessons into actionable strategies for building flexible, failure-resistant grids.
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How Elektrilevi leverages two-way power flows with over 21,000 producers feeding renewables back into the network.
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Utilizing AI-driven automation and real-time analytics to predict faults and balance fluctuating renewable inputs.
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Elektrilevi’s €1.6B weatherproofing blueprint to future-proof networks against climate risks.
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Leveraging collaborative partnerships among DSOs, TSOs, tech providers, and regulators to accelerate grid modernization.
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How to capitalize on Europe’s €170B digitalization drive to deploy breakthrough technologies across power networks.
Speaker: Mikhel Härm, CEO, Elektrilevi
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Session: 2026 World Energy Outlook: Geopolitical Security Risks, Fuel Supply & Resilience Challenges | New Energy Price Dynamics & Implications for Power Utilities and Energy Systems
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Balancing fuel sourcing risks with affordable power production and emissions goals.
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Outlook for energy demand, electricity & fuel supply.
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How recent events may impact gas, coal and nuclear as the baseload fuels of choice alongside solar and wind power expansion.
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Recommendations for the power utility and energy sector.
Inv. Speaker: Brent Wanner. Head of the Power Sector Unit for the World Energy Outlook | International Energy Agency*
Join the USA Power Summit 2026 Delegation
Join senior generation, utility and power-infrastructure leaders discussing the investment and operational decisions shaping America's next generation of power capacity.
Austin, Texas | 1st - 3rd December 2026
Early Bird 1 Booking Rate Available
Terms & Conditions Apply