Smart Electric Power Alliance

“Different policy constructs, different geographies, different system architectures. There are differences, but the underlying science is the same. Technical insights derived anywhere in the world can be applicable everywhere in the world. When response turns to collaboration, it turns into true global opportunity.”  💬 Morgan M. Scott, Vice President, Global Partnerships & Outreach, EPRI On Day 3 of Energy Evolution Summit 2026, we looked outside the U.S., uncovering global insights to help inform the future of the U.S. grid. Here are several defining takeaways from our final day: 1️⃣ Energy Security is Being Redefined in Real Time: Today’s conversations looked at the shift from rules-based systems to a more complex landscape shaped by geopolitics, supply chain resilience, and cyber risk. Kevin Book emphasized four emerging strategies gaining traction globally: diversifying energy sources, building strategic reserves, accelerating electrification, and prioritizing efficiency. 2️⃣ The Future of Connected Homes is Decentralized, Flexible, and Customer-Driven: Scott Harden and Monica Trauzzi explored how policy trends are impacting connected homes around the world. From grid-interactive homes to virtual power plants, distributed energy resources are transforming the grid from the edge. Homes are becoming active, bidirectional participants, enabled by AI, automation, and evolving price signals. As these technologies mature, flexibility is quickly becoming one of the most valuable forms of infrastructure. 3️⃣ Global Collaboration is Accelerating Innovation and Resilience: Innovation Spotlights from Hala Ballouz, Seth Frader-Thompson, and Morgan Scott offered a look at how organizations are scaling solutions across different markets, while Elaina Ball brought firsthand lessons from SEPA’s last Executive Fact-Finding Mission to Portugal. 4️⃣ Global Reliability, Affordability, and Resilience Are Inextricably Linked: Global representatives Nick Damgaard Jensen, Francisco Lacerda Machado, and Francesco Maria Graziani shared how their countries are advancing the transition and where collaboration across borders will matter most. Power systems sit at the intersection of physics, policy, and pricing, and each must be aligned to deliver outcomes that work for customers. As global demand rises and systems grow more complex, we need intentional design and coordinated decision-making. 5️⃣ The Customer Remains at the Center: Chris Ayers and Sheri Givens’ fireside chat brought the focus back to the people served by the grid. As costs increase, leaders stressed the importance of transparency, engagement, and giving customers the tools to actively participate in managing their energy use. Three days. Three challenges. One through-line. The knowledge to navigate the energy sector’s toughest challenges exists, and when it’s shared between the leaders working on them, progress accelerates. That is what EES was built for. #EnergyEvolutionSummit26

SEPA is proud to announce the 2026 Power Player Award winners, recognizing the individuals and organizations driving real progress across grid resilience, load growth, and global scale. This year's winners include: 🏆 Excellence in Leadership: Pedro Pizarro, President and CEO of Edison International, was recognized for his transformational leadership advancing grid resilience, electrification, climate adaptation, and industry collaboration at both the national and global levels. 🏆 Lifetime Achievement: Paul Lau, CEO and General Manager of SMUD, was honored for his extraordinary leadership, enduring impact on the industry, and longstanding commitment to advancing the electric power sector. 🏆 Grid Power Player of the Year: PPL Electric Utilities was recognized for its groundbreaking Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Management Program, the first large-scale deployment of an active DER Management Plan in the United States. 🏆 Growth Power Player of the Year: CPS Energy was recognized for its strategic acquisition of four natural gas generation facilities totaling approximately 1,632 MW to help meet rapidly accelerating energy demand in the San Antonio region while maintaining affordability and reliability for customers. 🏆 Globe Power Player of the Year: EPRI was honored for its Climate Resilience and Adaptation Initiative (Climate READi), a groundbreaking global effort to create the electric power sector’s first industry-aligned framework for physical climate risk assessment, resilience planning, and adaptation. Nearly 130 nominations were submitted this year, reflecting the depth of innovation happening across the energy ecosystem. As Sheri Givens shared, these leaders aren’t waiting. They’re building a grid that can handle what’s coming, meeting demand that’s growing faster than expected, and delivering results customers can feel. It was an honor to celebrate them at the Power Player Awards Dinner last night! Read the full release here: https://lnkd.in/eKThvQUp

“When I think about affordability, I think about providing a service that customers can afford to stay on the system.” This idea shared by David R Springe, Executive Director of NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE UTILITY CONSUMER ADVOCATES INC, was at the heart of many of the Day 2 conversations as Energy Evolution Summit turned to address growth and what it will actually take to deliver it. Several takeaways shaped the conversation: 1️⃣ The Energy Industry is Entering a Period of Dramatic Change: In a CEO Exchange with Sheri Givens, Pedro Pizarro reflected on the opportunities ahead for the industry, the need for infrastructure and distribution improvements, and what current constraints can be addressed to meet current and anticipated load growth needs. 2️⃣ Customer Affordability is the Bottom Line: In both our panels on affordability and meeting data center demand, we heard from leaders that if customers cannot afford their bills, the system is not working. David Springe, Emile C. Thompson, and Kelly Speakes-Backman called for sharper cost allocation and greater pricing transparency, and new approaches to ensure large load growth does not shift costs onto everyday customers. 3️⃣ Data Center Load Growth is Reshaping the Grid: Data center load demand is not slowing down. Chris Roe, Melissa Washington, Kelsey Bagot, and Chris Anderson dove into how hyperscalers’ responsibility is to listen to and engage with their communities, and how regulators can create safeguards to protect residential customers. 4️⃣. Managing Load Growth is a Balancing Act: How can we leverage an unprecedented surge in power demand as a powerful catalyst to modernize our entire system? FERC Commissioner Judy Chang captured that opportunity perfectly. She spoke about the ultimate balancing act of connecting these massive new loads while keeping the grid reliable and affordable. Historic demand isn't just a challenge to manage; it’s our best chance to build a more flexible network that delivers greater value for everyone. Tomorrow is our final day — GLOBE — and we’ll close out EES 2026 by looking beyond our borders. #EnergyEvolutionSummit26

"When the right people are in the right room, making decisions together — we get further, faster." This is how SEPA President and CEO Sheri Givens opened Energy Evolution Summit, and this insight quickly came to life throughout today's grid-focused panel discussions featuring the industry's brightest minds. Here are 3 defining takeaways that set the tone today: 1️⃣ The Mandate to Stabilize, Optimize, and Grow: Katie Jereza anchored the day with a clear strategic framework for grid evolution: “Stabilize what we have, optimize it, and then unleash infrastructure growth.” This operational charge came to life as Bryan Hannegan shared a real-world example of how consequential wildfire mitigation planning can be in power outage prevention, and Daniella Piper, PE showcased how NYPA is using real-time digital twins to protect energy reliability and affordability. 2️⃣ Collaboration is the Only Path Forward: Utility leaders of three different business models — Drew Maloney, Scott Corwin, and Jeffrey Connor — all agree: the pace of permitting and interconnection needs to match the pace of what’s being asked of the grid. 3️⃣ Practical AI is Already Changing the Game: Jeff Ressler, Robert Yeager, and Dor Abuhasira demonstrated how utilities are actively utilizing AI to detect early errors, prevent power plant failures, and run autonomous grid inspections on the ground today. Day 1 is in the books. Tomorrow, we dive into growth, where we'll discuss how stakeholders across the energy landscape can manage growth without leaving customers behind. #EnergyEvolutionSummit26

Washington, D.C., we are ready to go. The 2026 Energy Evolution Summit starts now. For the next two and a half days, this summit is the center of the energy ecosystem. We have brought together utility executives, regulators, technology innovators, and consumer advocates to work through three critical industry challenges together: strengthening the grid, managing rapid load growth, and scaling global solutions. Our Masters of Ceremonies, Tommy McFLY, Award-Winning Broadcaster, and Monica Trauzzi, SEPA’s Chief Communications Officer, will guide us through a high-stakes agenda built on three defining pillars: Day 1 is all about Grid. Stress, resilience, and AI-era planning, including perspectives from Sheri Givens, Melissa Washington, Katie Jereza, Doreen Harris, Bryan Hannegan, Daniella Piper, PE, Drew Maloney, Clint Vince, and more. Day 2 will focus on Growth. Capital, customers, and new business models, including insights from Judy Chang, David R Springe, Emile C. Thompson, Kelly Speakes-Backman, Casey Herman, Pedro Pizarro, Chris Roe, Judge Kelsey Bagot, and more. Day 3 looks at Globe. Global context, domestic choices, and commitments, including viewpoints from Scott Harden, Chris Ayers, and more. The challenges facing our industry are complex, but the expertise in this building is unmatched. We’re ready to get to work. #EnergyEvolutionSummit26

The most influential leaders across the energy ecosystem are stepping up to sponsor the 2026 Energy Evolution Summit because they recognize the complexity of this current moment. With electricity demand projected to reach historic new heights by the end of the decade, we need a clear path forward. We are proud to welcome all our sponsors: Platinum - Clean Power Research and Emerson, Gold - Percepto and Amazon, Silver - EnergyHub, Landis+Gyr, Uplight, Edison International, and Rappahannock Electric Cooperative. Their leadership is essential as we convene utilities, regulators, and tech innovators to tackle the toughest challenges in grid resilience, infrastructure, and affordability. Energy Evolution Summit. May 18-20. Washington, D.C. See the full agenda and attendee list: https://lnkd.in/eM_S-D7H

What does grid resilience really mean in an era of record heat, devastating storms, and growing wildfires? That's the question at the center of one of our most anticipated panels: Grid Resilience in an Age of Extremes. Leaders on the front lines of grid modernization will explore how very different systems — from rural cooperatives to major public power authorities to the federal level — are adapting to extreme conditions and rising expectations. Joining us on stage: Bryan Hannegan, President & CEO, Holy Cross Energy Katie Jereza, Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Electricity Daniella Piper, PE, EVP & Chief Innovation Officer, New York Power Authority Clint Vince, Chair of the U.S. Energy Practice at Dentons (moderator) Keeping the lights on used to mean managing predictable demand. Today, it means preparing for the unprecedented — and building systems resilient enough to withstand whatever comes next. We can't wait to dig in. May 18-20. Washington, D.C. Don't miss your chance to register: https://lnkd.in/eK3iGAZj