Opening Plenary Session

As the demand and dependency on safe, secure, reliable, resilient, clean, and affordable electric power exponentially increases, stakeholders across the electric power industry continue to face unprecedented challenges and opportunities.  These challenges and opportunities include exponential load growth led by the explosion of new AI Data Centers, increased levels of renewable energy and inverter-based resources, and the evolving and increasing risks to grid resiliency due to natural and man-made threats.  This plenary session will bring together top industry leaders and experts from different perspectives to discuss the critical technological, policy, regulatory, and operational strategies that are needed to continue to transform the electric power grid.

Leslie Duke (CEO, Burns & McDonnell) will share insights on the evolving role of infrastructure and engineering solutions in integrating renewable energy and modernizing the grid.  Pat Wood III (CEO, Hunt Energy Network and former FERC and PUCT Chairman) will discuss policy and energy technologies, and innovation needed to transform the grid. Pablo Vegas (CEO, ERCOT) and Ramit Bajaj (Sr. VP Enterprise Service Delivery, PG&E) will provide perspectives on grid investment and operations, market structures, and the role of utilities and system operators in enabling a clean energy transition.

Moderated by Dan Smith (VP, Research + Innovation, LCRA), this engaging discussion will explore key grid and infrastructure requirements, policy and market approaches, investment strategies, and the role of emerging technologies such as energy storage, small modular reactors, and advanced grid management.  Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the collaborative efforts necessary to transform and shape the future of the electric power system.