2026 Event Schedule

Distribution lateral circuits have long relied on basic protection devices — (reclosers, sectionalizers, and fuses) to maintain reliability. But today’s grid faces new challenges: DER integration, electrification, wildfire risk, and rising expectations for personnel and public safety. Traditional devices and approaches are no longer sufficient and requires an upgrade to the intelligence at the grid edge. 

The next frontier is intelligence at the lateral level—the last mile where most outages and safety risks occur. By combining advanced technologies and approaches to safety, energy harvesting, sensing, remote communications, and fleet management and analytics, utilities can transform laterals for the future. 

This session will explore various enabling technologies and real-world use cases that deliver measurable benefits in safety, reliability, and total cost of ownership. Lateral intelligence isn’t just an upgrade—it’s a foundational shift toward a more resilient and sustainable distribution network.

Session Sponsored by Hubbell