Discover how utilities are using digital tools, data, and automation to modernize operations, enhance decision-making, and drive innovation.

Digital transformation is reshaping how utilities operate, plan, and serve customers—unlocking new levels of agility, efficiency, and insight. This topic explores how utilities are embracing digital tools and platforms to modernize everything from grid operations and asset management to customer experience and enterprise decision-making. Topics include data architecture, cloud adoption, IoT integration, digital twins, AI/ML applications, and change management. 

Sponsored by:
Gridraven

Core Concepts Discussed

  • Utility digitalization strategy
  • IT/OT convergence
  • Process automation
  • Cloud adoption for utility systems
  • Breaking down data silos
  • Workforce digital enablement
  • Customer-facing digital solutions
  • Digital culture and change management
  • Regulatory and cybersecurity considerations for digital platforms
  • Future-ready operations
keynote session

Digital transformation educational opportunities

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8:00 AM
  1. GU103: Next Generation AMI - the latest in hardware, communications, and software innovations
    B210
    240 mins
    This intensive four-hour course is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of modern Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), its evolution, future direction, and best practices for successfu …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Jim Ketchledge
    Jim Ketchledge, CEO - Nexcergy
  2. GU300: Next-Generation Data Center Designs for Increased Reliability, Security, and Faster Deployment
    B203
    240 mins
    As hyperscale, colocation, and industrial data centers continue to expand in scale and power density, electrical infrastructure has become a critical determinant of availability, operational resilienc …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Benton Vandiver
    Benton Vandiver, Technical Consultant - Hitachi
    Speaker image for Bharadwaj Vasudevan
    Bharadwaj Vasudevan, Digital Substation Program Manager - Hitachi Energy
8:30 AM
  1. $ PLMA & SECC: Flexible Energy Forum: Powering Grid Flexibility in the Affordability Era
    B308/309
    600 mins
    As electricity demand rises rapidly (driven by factors including AI, data centers, and widespread electrification) grid flexibility has shifted from a ""nice to have"" to an absolute necessity for mod …
9:00 AM
  1. Leading Across Generations: The New Reality for Women in Utilities
    B217
    50 mins
    Four generations are sharing the workforce—each bringing different experiences, expectations, and perspectives on leadership. At the same time, women are playing an increasingly influential role in sh …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Dawn Roth-Lindell
    Dawn Roth-Lindell, Former CEO - Seattle City Light
    Speaker image for Katarina Miletijev
    Katarina Miletijev, Manager, Distribution Operations Engineering - Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD)
    Speaker image for Gretchen Stanford
    Gretchen Stanford, Partner & Advisor - Utility 2030 Leadership Collaborative
    Speaker image for Mandip Samra
    Mandip Samra, CEO - Burbank Water & Water
    Speaker image for Caroline Watson
    Caroline Watson, Analyst - Georgia Power Company
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Vanessa Edmonds
    Vanessa Edmonds, CEO - Utility 2030 Leadership Colllaborative
10:00 AM
  1. From Legacy Telecom to Private LTE/5G: A Practical Cost-Benefit Framework for Utility Decision-Making
    B202
    50 mins
    As utilities accelerate the transition from legacy telecom systems to private LTE and 5G networks, they face a fundamental challenge: how to rigorously justify these investments in the face of overlap …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Russel Like
    Russel Like, Senior Technical Leader - Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
    Speaker image for Jeff Livingston
    Jeff Livingston, Senior Manager Telecom - SRP
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Andy Fredman
    Andy Fredman, Vice President of Hardware Engineering - Expedium Consulting, LLC
10:15 AM
  1. $ Utility 2030 The Human Grid Kitchen: A Transformational Leadership Simulation for Grid Modernization
    B310
    390 mins
    Join Utility 2030 (U2030) for The Human Grid Kitchen, an immersive, culinary-themed leadership simulation designed to help utility and technology leaders practice transformational leadership in a safe …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Gretchen Stanford
    Gretchen Stanford, Partner & Advisor - Utility 2030 Leadership Collaborative
    Speaker image for Chris Hilborn
    Chris Hilborn, President - Utility 2030 Leadership Collaborative
    Speaker image for Vanessa Edmonds
    Vanessa Edmonds, CEO - Utility 2030 Leadership Colllaborative
11:00 AM
  1. Building the Workforce of the Future
    B217
    50 mins
    Utilities are facing a convergence of workforce challenges at the same time grid complexity, capital investment, and operating cost pressures are accelerating. As experienced workers retire, turnover …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Neil Proudman
    Neil Proudman, Senior Vice President, Utility Operations - Mosaic
    Speaker image for John Franklin
    John Franklin, VP Network Management - National Grid
    Speaker image for Douglas Foley
    Douglas Foley, President, Electric Operations, Massachusetts - Eversource
    Speaker image for Roderick Robinson
    Roderick Robinson, VP Electric System Operations - PG&E
    Speaker image for Gilbert Salazar
    Gilbert Salazar, Regional Vice President – Distribution Operations PSCo - Xcel Energy
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for James Jackson
    James Jackson, Enterprise Sales Director - North America - Kraken
  2. $ UBBA Mini-Plugfest & Workshop for Utilities: Private Broadband in Action
    B314
    300 mins
    This immersive, interactive, hands-on workshop combines Plugfest-style demonstrations, real-world utility case studies, and peer collaboration to showcase how private broadband networks support critic …
12:00 PM
  1. SEPA Bridging Innovation Workshop Series: Accelerating Grid Innovation Through Collaboration
    B311
    240 mins
    This half-day interactive workshop brings together utility, technology, and solution provider leaders to explore practical strategies for advancing grid flexibility, resilience, and operational intell …
1:00 PM
  1. Grid Network Model Management | Real-World Strategies, Measurable Wins, and Future Roadmaps
    B216
    50 mins
    In today’s era of explosive load growth, DER proliferation, extreme weather, and accelerating grid modernization, an accurate, dynamic, and enterprise-wide Grid Network Model is the foundational backb …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for David Bogen
    David Bogen, T & D Services Manager - Oncor
    Speaker image for Tyler Friedel
    Tyler Friedel, Product Owner - Ameren
    Speaker image for Gerald Gray
    Gerald Gray, VP Digital Business Strategy - Surveying and Mapping, LLC
    Speaker image for Sean Crimmins
    Sean Crimmins, ICT Program Manager - EPRI
    Speaker image for Hugo Klingenberg
    Hugo Klingenberg, Manager Network Transformation - ElectraNet
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Thomas Artau
    Thomas Artau, Senior Manager of Grid Operations Technology - DUKE ENERGY
  2. From Concept to Operation: Utility Lessons on Siting, Sizing, and Operating Battery Storage Assets
    B207
    50 mins
    Utilities across North America are increasingly turning to battery energy storage systems (BESS) to address a growing range of grid challenges, including distribution capacity constraints, acceleratin …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Sherif Abdelrazek
    Sherif Abdelrazek, CEO - Storlytics Energy Storage
    Speaker image for Christian Ward
    Christian Ward, Battery Storage Engineer - SOUTHERN COMPANY
    Speaker image for Raafe Khan
    Raafe Khan, Head of Energy Storage and Emerging Markets - Camelot Energy Group
    Speaker image for Huimin Li
    Huimin Li, Manager, Energy Storage Engineering - DUKE ENERGY
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Stuart Laval
    Stuart Laval, Director, Energy Control Systems - Eaton Corporation
  3. Data Mesh Without the Mess: How Southern Company is Governing Data Products and AI at Scale
    B201
    50 mins
    Southern Company has no shortage of data. The harder challenge is making that data trusted, governed, and usable across business units, operating companies, and a growing set of analytics and AI use c …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Doug Leal
    Doug Leal, VP Consulting, Data & AI - CGI
    Speaker image for Greg Floyd
    Greg Floyd, Principal Enterprise Architect - SOUTHERN COMPANY
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Mehrdod Mohseni
    Mehrdod Mohseni, Chief Transformation & Strategy Officer - SPP Innovations, LLC
  4. GU203: End-to-End Asset Management: Connecting Capital Planning, Investment Justification, and Grid Value
    B210
    240 mins
    Utilities are under growing pressure to modernize infrastructure, strengthen reliability and resilience, and manage rising system complexity, all while demonstrating affordability and accountability t …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Aileen Currier
    Aileen Currier, Managing Director & Integrated Solution Strategist - Black & Veatch
    Speaker image for Marty Glose
    Marty Glose, Principal Consultant, Electric Planning & Asset Management - Black & Veatch
    Speaker image for Matthew Reilly
    Matthew Reilly, Director of Integrated Planning & Portfolio Management - National Grid
    Speaker image for Phil Crossland
    Phil Crossland, Asset Investment Planning Practice Managing Director - Black & Veatch
  5. GU202: DER Management in Practice: What Works, What Doesn’t, and How to Start Managing DER Today With Your Existing Tools
    B209
    240 mins
    In this course, we’ll explore ‘how’ to manage distributed energy resources (DER): Overview of the industry’s most successful DER management programs Navigating DER communication protocols - best pract …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Matt Wallace
    Matt Wallace, Distribution Control Center Engineering, DER Interoperability Lead - PPL Electric Utilities
  6. SCADA 201: Advanced Applications, Integration & Cybersecurity – Part 2
    B302
    240 mins
    Ready to build on your SCADA fundamentals? This course takes the next step by exploring how SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system information, functionality, and secure networ …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for John McDonald
    John McDonald, Founder & CEO - JDM Associates, LLC
    Speaker image for Demos Andreou
    Demos Andreou, Senior Engineering Associate - Patterson & Dewar Engineers, Inc.
3:00 PM
  1. From Utility Data to Operational Action: Privacy‑Honoring, Governed, Purpose‑Built Agents on an AI‑Ready Foundation
    B201
    50 mins
    Utilities want agentic capabilities that improve daily work: faster triage, consistent investigations, reliable reporting, and guided decision support. However, those outcomes depend on whether operat …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Amy Grice
    Amy Grice, Chief Operating Officer - Peninsula Light Company
    Speaker image for Young Ngo
    Young Ngo, President - Themis Intelligence Corporation
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Mohammad Gharaibeh
    Mohammad Gharaibeh, Manager of AI and Digital Transformation - Cleco
9:00 AM
  1. From AMI Alarms to Action: Leveraging AI and Grid Edge Data for Predictive Outage Management
    B216
    50 mins
    Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) has long provided utilities with unprecedented visibility into grid conditions through outage notifications and alarm signals. While power outage alarms are wide …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Glenn Pritchard
    Glenn Pritchard, NA - EPRI
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Meghan Calabro
    Meghan Calabro, Vice President, Distribution Modernization - Burns & McDonnell
  2. Regaining Control of IT Advacing into Substations
    B207
    50 mins
    For decades, utility protection and control (P&C) engineers maintained absolute authority over the substation through physical isolation and hardwired copper loops. That era of pure isolation is endin …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Ed Hutchinson
    Ed Hutchinson, Industrial Edge Architect, Global Edge Architecture Team - Red Hat
    Speaker image for Anthony Sivesind
    Anthony Sivesind, Executive Engineering Consultant - Salt River Project
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Abhiram Vallabhaneni
    Abhiram Vallabhaneni, Lead Grid Operations Engineer - Lansing Board of Water & Light
  3. From Application to Activation: AI-Augmented Interconnection for Superior Customer Experiences
    B215
    50 mins
    FortisAlberta, a Canadian utility recognized with Electricity Canada’s Centre of Excellence Award for its solar interconnections process solution, will share how it modernized its customer portal and …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Robert Deschamps
    Robert Deschamps, Manager Key Accounts - FortisAlberta
    Speaker image for Brian Boler
    Brian Boler, Director of Product Management - Clean Power Research
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Carol Johnston
    Carol Johnston, VP Energy, Utilities & Resources - IFS
10:00 AM
  1. Duquesne Light Company: Moving Grid Planning from Spreadsheets to Clicks
    B216
    50 mins
    At Duquesne Light Company (DLC), serving more than 600,000 customers across an 812 square‑mile territory in Pennsylvania, we reached a point where grid planning work was being slowed by manual data ex …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for John Sala
    John Sala, Senior IT Manager, Metering & IoT Solutions - Duquesne Light Company
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Meghan Calabro
    Meghan Calabro, Vice President, Distribution Modernization - Burns & McDonnell
11:00 AM
  1. When the Network Model Meets the Field
    B218
    50 mins
    The utility industry has invested heavily in digital twins, ADMS, OMS, and DERMS platforms to support an increasingly complex grid. Yet as distributed energy resources, electrification, and emerging A …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Fivos Maniatakos
    Fivos Maniatakos, CEO - Sensewaves
    Speaker image for Alex Ramirez
    Alex Ramirez, Alex Ramirez - Interim President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) - AEP Texas
    Speaker image for Jerry Young
    Jerry Young, Manager - Advanced Meter Infrastrctr - AEP Texas
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Vladyslav Anderson
    Vladyslav Anderson, Manager of Data Science, Infrastructure and Safety Analytics - Exelon
  2. Calling All Networks: The Growing Case for Multicommodity Networks
    B202
    50 mins
    As utilities modernize the grid, communications networks are becoming critical infrastructure. Increasingly, utility leaders are looking beyond single-network strategies and toward communications arch …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Jimi Conway
    Jimi Conway, Sr Manager of AMI Strategy and Data Analytics - Commonwealth Edison
    Speaker image for Marguerite Behringer
    Marguerite Behringer, Director of Regulatory Policy and Industry Relations - Landis+Gyr
    Speaker image for Antonio Flores
    Antonio Flores, VP measurement and billing - Oncor
    Speaker image for Wesley Granade
    Wesley Granade, Project Manager, DERMS - Georgia Power
    Speaker image for Perry Welch
    Perry Welch, Manager, AMI and Metering - Cleco
    Speaker image for Amith Kota
    Amith Kota, Global Chief Technology Officer - Landis+Gyr
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Alice Moy-Gonzalez
    Alice Moy-Gonzalez, SVP, Strategic Development - Anterix
  3. Accelerating DER Interconnection at Exelon & ComEd Through AI-Powered Automation
    B204
    50 mins
    As distributed energy resource adoption accelerates, utilities are under increasing pressure to process interconnection applications faster while maintaining grid safety, regulatory compliance, and a …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Christopher Miller
    Christopher Miller, Partner - West Monroe
    Speaker image for Rose Mary Colella-Seavey
    Rose Mary Colella-Seavey, Sr. Manager, DER Interconnection - ComEd
    Speaker image for Feng Huang
    Feng Huang, Manager, DER Interconnection - ComEd
    Speaker image for Mary Bryan
    Mary Bryan, Director - West Monroe
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Ali Ipakchi
    Ali Ipakchi, EVP, and Chief Visionary Officer - OATI
  4. From Outage to Outreach: Engineering Customer Trust When the Lights Go Out
    B215
    50 mins
    When a line of severe storms tears across southeastern Wisconsin after midnight, or when wildfire conditions force a Public Safety Power Shutoff in San Diego County, the first thing hundreds of thousa …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Michelle Mattson
    Michelle Mattson, Director Customer Experience, Customer Programs & Digital Services - WE Energies
    Speaker image for Leonard Socha
    Leonard Socha, Manager Operations Technology Support - Wisconsin Public Service
    Speaker image for Annie Tao
    Annie Tao, Management Consulting Manager - Accenture
    Speaker image for Jeffrey Healy
    Jeffrey Healy, Management Consulting Principal - Accenture
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Marina Donovan
    Marina Donovan, Vice President of Global Marketing, ESG and Public Affairs - Itron
1:00 PM
  1. From Data to Decisions: Intelligent Insights for Modern Asset Management
    B201
    50 mins
    As utilities address aging infrastructure, increasing grid complexity, and rising DER penetration, asset management is evolving toward more intelligent, data-driven approaches. This session brings tog …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Oliver Howarth
    Oliver Howarth, Solutions Architect, IT – Utility Technologies - Public Service Enterprise Group
    Speaker image for Tom Bialek, Ph. D.
    Tom Bialek, Ph. D., Chief Technology Officer - Toumetis
    Speaker image for Ann Moore
    Ann Moore, Global Industry Principal - Power & Utilities - AVEVA
    Speaker image for Nico Payne, PE
    Nico Payne, PE, Power Quality Supervisor – System Protection Engineering - San Diego Gas & Electric
    Speaker image for Pragna Pulusani
    Pragna Pulusani, Principal Engineer, Asset Strategy - Public Service Electric and Gas
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Lukasz Kubas
    Lukasz Kubas - PSEG
2:00 PM
  1. A Practical Blueprint for Scaling AI Inspection: Idaho Power's Journey to Smarter Asset Management and Wildfire Risk Reduction
    B204
    50 mins
    As electric utilities face increasing pressure to improve grid reliability, reduce operational costs, and mitigate wildfire risk, traditional inspection programs are being challenged by the scale and …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Jon Axtman
    Jon Axtman, Director of Wildfire Mitigation and T&D Engineering - Idaho Power
    Speaker image for Bryan Orcutt
    Bryan Orcutt, T&D Maintenance Leader - Idaho Power
    Speaker image for Maria Cervantes
    Maria Cervantes, Senior Marketing Manager - eSmart Systems
    Speaker image for Don McPhail
    Don McPhail, VP Market Development - eSmart Systems
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Bert Stewart
    Bert Stewart, Manager, Vegetation Strategy - National Grid
  2. Shared Data for Smarter Models: How 5 New Zealand Utilities are Revolutionizing Asset Management with Computer Vision
    B202
    50 mins
    Distribution grid operators worldwide are caught in a perfect storm: skyrocketing electrification demand colliding with volatile, extreme weather events and the operational bottleneck of manual asset …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Steve Heinen
    Steve Heinen, General Manager, Asset Management and Network Planning - Vector
    Speaker image for Jesse Morris
    Jesse Morris, Head of Customer Solutions - Tapestry
    Speaker image for Kurt Janssen
    Kurt Janssen, Innovation Manager - Orion NZ Ltd
    Speaker image for Tim Morrison
    Tim Morrison, Operations Manager, Inspection Solutions - Northpower
    Speaker image for Hamish Archer
    Hamish Archer, Commercial Manager - WELNetworks
    Speaker image for Luke Peterson
    Luke Peterson, Asset Information Manager - Unison
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for John McDonald
    John McDonald, Founder & CEO - JDM Associates, LLC
  3. Vulnerability Intelligence and OT Resilience: Operationalizing Vulnerability Work Across the Digital Grid
    B209
    50 mins
    Panel Description: As utilities accelerate grid digitization, integrating IT and OT environments introduces unprecedented cyber risk across field devices, control systems, and cloud-connected infrastr …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for David Lo
    David Lo, Director of Cyber Security Risk, Architecture, & Implementation - Pacific Gas and Electric
    Speaker image for Rob Mims
    Rob Mims, Executive Director of Security Operations & Incident Response - SOUTHERN COMPANY
    Speaker image for Chuck Blitzer
    Chuck Blitzer, VP of Global Head of Cyber Security Operations - National Grid
    Speaker image for Christopher Strain
    Christopher Strain, CISO - NEXTERA ENERGY RESOURCES
    Speaker image for Caitlin Condon
    Caitlin Condon, VP of Security Research - Vulncheck
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Eric Gupta
    Eric Gupta, Principal Consultant: Infrastructure Transformation - Black & Veatch
9:00 AM
  1. ADMS as a Living System: How PPL Is Building Toward a Touchless, AI-Enabled Control Room
    B204
    50 mins
    Infrastructure readiness, not application configuration, turned out to be the primary determinant of how fast PPL could move. That finding reshaped the program. PPL Corporation is in the middle of a m …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Jim Liero
    Jim Liero, Sr Director – Grid Technologies - PPL
    Speaker image for Marian King
    Marian King, Delivery Lead, Grid Transformation - Accenture
    Speaker image for Pratik Lakdawala
    Pratik Lakdawala, Managing Director, Utilities Strategy - Accenture
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Stuart Laval
    Stuart Laval, Director, Energy Control Systems - Eaton Corporation
10:00 AM
  1. Beyond the Spreadsheet: How Dominion Energy Rebuilt Facility Ratings as a System of Record for FERC 881
    B209
    50 mins
    For most of three decades, Dominion Energy managed every transmission facility rating subject to compliance monitoring in a legacy spreadsheet application. Engineers calculated the limiting rating by …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Kevin Jones
    Kevin Jones, Director, ET Asset Management - Dominion Energy
    Speaker image for Justin Etheredge
    Justin Etheredge, CEO - Simple Thread
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Jaclyn Whiteman
    Jaclyn Whiteman, Director, Distributed Energy Operations and Maintenance - DUKE ENERGY
  2. Connecting Resiliency Investments to Customer Outcomes
    B215
    50 mins
    Delivering electricity across a service territory that has an estimated population of 14 million people and spanning more than 54,000 square miles, Oncor operates the largest pure-play wires utility i …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Robel Lulseged
    Robel Lulseged, Director of Asset Management and Engineering Services - Oncor Electric Delivery
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Jeffrey Groenewold
    Jeffrey Groenewold, Senior Manager Energy Solutions - National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
1:00 PM
  1. Before AI Comes Asset Intelligence: Building the Utility Data Foundation for Modern Asset Management
    B201
    50 mins
    Utilities are under pressure to modernize asset management, integrate DERs, support flexible connections, evaluate non-wires solutions, prepare for energy markets and apply AI to planning and operatio …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Ken Chadha
    Ken Chadha, Manager, Grid Analytics and Data Modernization - Alectra Utilities Corporation
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Matt Peterson
    Matt Peterson, Lead Distribution Engineer - OPPD
  2. From Strategy to Scale: How APS Built the Data Foundation That Makes AI Work
    B202
    50 mins
    When APS set out to modernize grid operations, the first challenge was not technology. It was knowing which capabilities to build, in what order, and why. As Arizona's largest electric utility serving …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Venkata Nimmala
    Venkata Nimmala, Director of Digital Transformation and Enterprise Architecture - Arizona Public Services
    Speaker image for Vaibhav Parmar
    Vaibhav Parmar, Managing Directo - Accenture
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Terry Nielsen
    Terry Nielsen, Chief Consultant - Qualus
2:00 PM
  1. Keeping Electricity Affordable -- Earning Trust in a High-Growth Era
    B215
    50 mins
    Customer engagement has long been "table steaks" for utilities, but today, the stakes have never been higher, particularly as AMI modernization, distributed energy resource growth, and affordability p …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Cheryl Davis
    Cheryl Davis, Vice President, Customer Solutions - Georgia Power
    Speaker image for Aaron August
    Aaron August, Senior Vice President, Chief Customer and Transformation Officer - Puget Sound Energy
    Speaker image for Prasanna Venkatesan
    Prasanna Venkatesan, EVP and COO - Landis+Gyr
    Speaker image for Sasha Weintraub
    Sasha Weintraub, Duke Energy - Landis+Gyr
    Speaker image for Kerri Carnes
    Kerri Carnes, Director, Customer to Grid Solutions - Arizona Public Service
    Speaker image for Jody Allison
    Jody Allison, VP of Customer Experience - Xcel Energy
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Jessica Laird
    Jessica Laird, Director, Customer Experience Operations - APS
3:00 PM
  1. Avoiding Vendor Lock-In with Standards-Based Data Integration
    B201
    50 mins
    In an era of explosive load growth, DER proliferation, AI-driven operations, and relentless pressure to modernize the grid, siloed data systems remain the single biggest barrier to speed, scale, and r …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Gerald Gray
    Gerald Gray, VP Digital Business Strategy - Surveying and Mapping, LLC
    Speaker image for John Lee
    John Lee, Lead Architect - SCE
    Speaker image for Tyler Friedel
    Tyler Friedel, Product Owner - Ameren
    Speaker image for Matthew Strickland
    Matthew Strickland, Manager, Enterprise Information Management and Integrations - JEA
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Mohammad Gharaibeh
    Mohammad Gharaibeh, Manager of AI and Digital Transformation - Cleco
  2. From a Spreadsheet to 55,000 Conductors: The Engineering Journey Behind Dominion Energy's Line Risk Intelligence Pipeline
    B204
    50 mins
    For a large transmission system, the processing power required to reconstruct the thermal history of tens of thousands of conductors isn't a software problem. It's an engineering problem at a scale ut …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Tanner Cullifer
    Tanner Cullifer, Senior Engineer - Dominion Energy
    Speaker image for Ethan Gueck
    Ethan Gueck, Data Scientist - Data Society
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for John McDonald
    John McDonald, Founder & CEO - JDM Associates, LLC
8:00 AM
  1. GU303: Making Transformation Visible: How EA and Change Management Turn Strategy into Execution
    B204
    240 mins
    Enterprise Architecture (EA) is one of the most misunderstood disciplines in business, often mistaken for designing buildings rather than shaping digital infrastructure, data flows, and how work actua …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Blake Politte
    Blake Politte, Sr. Advisor, Enterprise Architecture - Southern California Edison
    Speaker image for Neil Placer
    Neil Placer, Director, Utility Services Consulting - EnerNeX
11:00 AM
  1. AI in Action: How PPL Modernized Contractor Invoice Validation beyond Standard VIM Processes
    B217
    25 mins
    For utilities, contractor invoice review is more than an administrative task. It is a frontline financial control.At PPL, a single team can process more than 400 contractor invoices each month, with e …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Piyush Saxena
    Piyush Saxena, Field and Grid AI Lead - PPL
    Speaker image for James Conrad
    James Conrad, Grid Operations Business Lead - PPL
    Speaker image for Elizabeth Moreno
    Elizabeth Moreno, Managing Director - Accenture
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Steve Greene
    Steve Greene, Senior Director, Sales - KloudGin
11:25 AM
  1. When Engineers Stop Searching and Start Asking: An AI-Embedded Planning & Modeling Portal with Dominion Energy
    B217
    25 mins
    Modelers and engineers at Dominion Energy spend a meaningful share of their time not doing engineering, but hunting. Hunting through spreadsheets, enterprise planning documents, project documentation, …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Praveen Dhanasekar
    Praveen Dhanasekar, Supervisor Transmission Operations Engineering - Dominion Energy
    Speaker image for Poornima Joshi
    Poornima Joshi, Lead Data Scientist - Data Society
    Speaker image for Matt Leonard
    Matt Leonard, Data Engineer - Data Society
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for Steve Greene
    Steve Greene, Senior Director, Sales - KloudGin
12:40 PM
  1. Realigning Utility Planning for the Data Center Era as part of the Data Center
    B316
    60 mins
    The rapid acceleration of the energy transition, paired with explosive hyperscale load growth, has turned long-standing industry best practices on their head. Not long ago, data center demand was trea …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Todd Conner
    Todd Conner, Senior Vice President Electric Distribution - Xcel Energy
    Speaker image for Roderick Robinson
    Roderick Robinson, VP Electric System Operations - PG&E
    Speaker image for Douglas Foley
    Douglas Foley, President, Electric Operations, Massachusetts - Eversource
    Speaker image for Ahmad Ababneh
    Ahmad Ababneh, Senior Vice President of Transmission & Substation - ComEd
1:00 PM
  1. From Indicators to Drivers: Georgia Power’s Standard-Setting Risk Evaluation Framework
    B211
    50 mins
    Georgia Power recently initiated a new risk evaluation initiative with the potential to set a new standard for decision-making across the Southeast. Having led the effort, Josh Stallings, VP, Distribu …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Josh Stallings
    Josh Stallings, VP, Distribution Strategy and Support - Georgia Power Company
    Chairperson
    Speaker image for MUSTAPHA chawqui
    MUSTAPHA chawqui, Lead engineer - National Grid

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