2027 Event Agenda

As the bulk power system undergoes rapid transformation driven by electrification, extreme weather, resource transitions, and load growth from data centers and economic development, system operators are redefining how reliability and resilience are achieved in real time. This session brings together leaders from ERCOT Innovation & Technology organization for State of Texas and California ISO System Operations & Technology for Western Energy Imbalance Market (WEIM) to explore how innovation and operational execution are converging to strengthen control room performance and grid reliability.

ERCOT will share insights from an innovation and technology leadership perspective on how rapid load growth and emerging grid complexity are shaping the future of system operations in Texas. The discussion will highlight how new capabilities in data, advanced analytics, AI and technology enablement are informing operational decision-making, enhancing situational awareness, and supporting scalable approaches to maintaining reliability in a fast-changing market and physical system environment.

CAISO will provide an operations-focused view from the control room, detailing how system operations and technology teams are adapting tools, processes, and workflows to maintain reliability under increasingly dynamic grid conditions. Topics include enhanced situational awareness, real-time operational coordination, and technology-enabled decision support to manage variability, extreme events, and evolving resource mixes across California’s bulk power and market systems.

Together, the session will connect strategic innovation with real-world operational execution, illustrating how system operators are evolving control room capabilities and bulk power practices to meet the demands of a more complex and uncertain grid. The discussion will also highlight shared challenges, cross-regional lessons learned, and the future direction of reliability-centered operations.