2027 Event Agenda

As load growth from electrification and AI data centers is driving increasing strain on secondary distribution infrastructure up to the bulk system, utilities need managed charging solutions they can operationalize, defend before regulators, and scale with confidence. Conventional approaches that shift load to uniform off-peak windows often worsen local distribution stress by creating synchronized "timer peaks" that accelerate asset degradation. Distribution-integrated orchestration offers a better path: continuously optimizing flexible load at the transformer and circuit level to protect infrastructure, defer costly upgrades, and keep electricity affordable for all customers. EV managed charging programs across the US are proving the concept today, strengthening justification for scale and offering a path forward for all flexible distributed energy resources (DERs) on the grid.

This panel, moderated by WeaveGrid, brings together Portland General Electric (PGE), Orange & Rockland Utilities (O&R), and independent evaluator E Source to share how both utilities are deploying and validating distribution-integrated DER orchestration using WeaveGrid's  Distribution-Integrated System Capacity Orchestration (DISCO) solution. O&R will present results from its NYSERDA-funded FlexCharge Rewards program, including forward-looking modeling that projects $7.8M in annual distribution deferral value for a scaled program by 2030, rising to ~$40M by 2035. PGE will describe how findings from its Smart Grid Test Bed pilot directly shaped the expansion of DISCO into its broader Residential Managed Charging program, translating pilot learnings into scaled distribution value and results. E Source will speak to its role as evaluator across both programs and how independent third-party validation helps build a credible distribution valuation framework that can withstand regulatory scrutiny and be replicated across territories.

Together, these programs represent some of the most rigorous real-world validation to date that distribution-level DER orchestration can function as a non-wires alternative, protecting distribution infrastructure, improving grid reliability, and delivering measurable affordability benefits. Attendees will walk away with a solid understanding of a proven distribution valuation framework, replicable deployment lessons, and the regulatory groundwork that supports scaling distribution orchestration with confidence.