The Power Summit Speakers & Advisory Board
Our summit features visionary speakers and distinguished advisory board members, including industry pioneers and thought leaders driving innovation in the energy sector. Their expertise and insights will shape the conversations that define the future of energy.
2025 Power Summit Advisory Board Members & Speakers Include
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.
Speaker: Christopher Nolan, Vice President, New Nuclear Generation Strategy and Regulatory Engagement
Duke Energy Corporation
Session: Planning for Large-Scale Grid Expansion: Case Studies Sunflower Electric Power Corporation
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Upgrading Transmission Infrastructure – Expanding 345 kV & 765 kV networks.
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Integrating Renewable Energy – Enhancing grid stability with wind, solar, and storage.
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Cost Allocation & Funding – Addressing investment and cost-sharing challenges.
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Regulatory Compliance – Navigating FERC and state-level approvals.
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Grid Resilience – Strengthening infrastructure for extreme weather and cyber threats.
Speaker: Clifford Franklin, Director for Strategic Engineering Affairs, Sunflower Electric Power Corporation
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, Regional Vice President, Testing and Commissioning, Quanta Services
Session: Accelerating U.S. Nuclear Resilience: Innovation, Regulation & Public Trust in a New Era
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Bridging the fuel-readiness gap: DOE's role in synchronizing advanced reactor fuel supply chains (e.g., TRISO).
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De-risking deployment: public-private cost/risk sharing and support across the TRL pipeline.
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Licensing paradox and the role of AI: the need for regulatory reform in SMR and molten salt deployment.
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Addressing workforce shortages: strategies for attracting mid-career talent and revitalizing nuclear engineering pathways.
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Global reciprocity: fostering trusted international alignment for rapid deployment.
Speaker: Christina England, Senior Legal Advisor - Nuclear Health & Safety, Advanced Reactors, SMRs, HALEU & Regulatory Innovation | US Department of Energy
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: Forecasting the Future: AI-Driven Market Analytics, Wind Integration & Combustion Efficiency in a Hybrid Grid
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Wind Energy Forecasting: Leveraging data-driven models to enhance wind integration and grid stability.
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Clean Combustion & System Efficiency: Optimizing combustion technologies for sustainable generation.
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Energy Market Insights: Applying predictive analytics to manage price volatility and market strategy.
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Grid Optimization: Enhancing operational efficiency with AI-powered energy analytics.
Speaker: Temitope Bankefa, Energy Engineer & Research Scientist, Basin Electric Power Cooperative
Session: Repositioning Nuclear: Enabling Policy, Public Trust & Innovation to Anchor America’s Future Energy System
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Advancing Next-Gen Nuclear: The evolving U.S. regulatory and legislative frameworks enabling SMRs and first-of-a-kind reactor deployments.
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Build Public Trust: Tactics for improving community engagement and securing consent-based siting for new nuclear infrastructure.
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Growing the Workforce: Addressing the talent pipeline challenge through strategic academic-industry-government collaboration.
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Enabling State-Level Leadership: Analyze how Texas legislation is shaping a new era of nuclear investment and deployment.
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Powering the Future Grid: Positioning nuclear as a stable, zero-carbon backbone for data centers, hydrogen production, and industrial loads
Speaker: Danielle Zigon, Director of Nuclear Policy, The University of Texas
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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
Speaker: Jan Vorrink, Head of Future Design System Operations & Senior Advisor for International Affairs, TENNET TSO
Session: Optimizing Energy Investments with Advanced Analytical Solutions
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Comprehensive Forecasting and Risk Management: Applying quantitative models to forecast Energy portfolio cash flows & financial risk.
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The renewable energy constraints and how to properly factor them in a portfolio analysis framework.
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Portfolio Optimization and Price Modeling: Leveraging sophisticated optimization techniques for dynamic pricing and portfolio management.
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Making the best portfolio diversification choice given company objectives and targets.
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Sustainability and Renewable Integration: Advanced analytics for integrating renewable energy sources and achieving sustainability goals.
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Case Study: What Green energy targets can be achieved for a baseload served with a Solar + BESS Combo?
Speaker: Pierre Lebon, Director of Anaytics EMEA | cQuant
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Session: 2025 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.
Speaker: Brent Wanner. Head of the Power Sector Unit for the World Energy Outlook (WEO)
International Energy Agency (IEA)
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Session: Strategic Opportunities in Energy Markets: Navigating Global Shifts and Capitalizing on the Renewable Transition
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Mitigating the impact of global geopolitical events.
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Capturing growth in renewable energy transition.
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Maximizing returns energy trading.
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Leveraging global Integration for competitive advantage.
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Forecasting demand and supply dynamics.
Speaker: Fabio Montemurro, Head of Power Systems and Renewables, BP
Session: Energy Master Data: A Left Right Dilemma Navigating the Complex Challenges of Integration & Management
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The strategic importance of master data management for the energy market.
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Investing in data management despite the public nature of energy data.
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Achieving seamless integration across energy managements systems.
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Case study examples of AI and robotic process automation (RPA) playing crucial roles in managing and optimizing energy master data by automating processes, reducing errors, and providing actionable insights
Speaker: Marius Flesch, Head of Market Access Systems, Statkraft
Rene Kuczkowski
Session: Ensuring Transparency, Accountability, and Efficiency in Nuclear Regulation Through Inspector General (OIG) oversight.
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Demystifying the OIG: history, mission, and its role in civilian and defense nuclear regulatory oversight.
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How the OIG adapts its oversight as nuclear policy and technology evolve, while safeguarding independence.
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Case study: NRC oversight of research and test reactors following the NIST radioactive release, and systemic improvements implemented.
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Findings from audits of inspection programs—enhancing efficiency, consistency, and cost accountability for licensees.
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The Small Entity Anti-Fraud Initiative—protecting fairness in cost recovery and preventing underpayment fraud.
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Oversight of NRC’s hiring and staffing processes—ensuring regulatory bodies are fully resourced to review license applications.
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Improving transparency and rigor in reactive inspections to strengthen industry confidence.
Speaker: Robert J. Feitel, Inspector General, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB)
Session: Scaling Up Local Flexibility: Enedis' Roadmap for Optimizing Grid Performance and Enabling the Energy Transition
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Enedis Flexibility Roadmap: Progress and Future Vision: An overview the addition of 46 MW of local flexibility services across 30 French departments.
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From Pilot Projects to Operational Integration: How Enedis transitioned from experimental projects to fully integrated flexibility services, supporting network performance and reliability.
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Addressing technical, regulatory, and organizational barriers in scaling up flexibility services, including stakeholder engagement and market adaptation.
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Collaboration with TSOs and Multi-Purpose Flexibility Design.
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Case Studies and Outcomes of Recent Tenders.
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Upcoming plans and targets for expanding flexibility services and integrating more renewable energy sources into the grid
Inv. Speaker: Hubert Dupin, Head of Flexibility Department, Smart Grids Program, ENEDIS*
Session: Intelligent Detection at Grid Edge: ML-Enhanced Estimation & Fault Isolation
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Modeling Techniques for Fault Detection: Integrating spatial power system modeling with time-series analysis to identify emerging threats.
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Fault Diagnosis and Isolation: Locating and addressing faults using hybrid models.
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Real-Time Monitoring and Detection: Employing machine learning for dynamic grid state analysis and predictive response.
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AI & ML Applications: Utilizing ML algorithms for robust state estimation and enhanced grid reliability.
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Fault Tolerance & Recovery: Designing estimation systems resilient to false data injections and capable of sustained operations during cyber-physical compromises.
Speaker: Shimiao (Cindy) Li, Assistant Professor, University at Buffalo
Session: Scaling Renewables in Utility Operations: Innovations, Storage, and Grid Optimization
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Optimizing Hybrid Energy Systems – How utilities can integrate solar, wind, and bioenergy with existing fossil-based assets for maximum efficiency.
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Advanced Energy Storage for Grid Stability – The latest in battery technology, hydrogen storage, and pumped hydro to balance supply and demand.
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Digitalization & AI in Renewables – Leveraging predictive analytics, AI-driven asset management, and real-time monitoring to enhance renewable generation.
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Repurposing Infrastructure for Green Energy – Strategies for retrofitting conventional power assets to support the clean energy transition.
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Regulatory & Market Mechanisms for Renewables – Navigating capacity markets, PPAs, and grid interconnection challenges in a rapidly evolving energy landscape.
Speaker: Ivan Androcec, Director of Renewables & Innovations | INA d.d.