Monday, March 1 & Thursday, March 4 

Expand Your Expertise. Power the Future. 

DTECH® Grid University offers workshop-format courses designed to give attendees focused, hands-on learning opportunities in key industry fields. 

These intensive sessions provide practical knowledge, emerging insights, and valuable skills to help professionals stay ahead in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Earn PDH Credits
Complimentary to All Access attendees. 

Limited Spots Available!  
Pre-registration is required, and onsite seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Already registered? Visit the Resource Center to add it to your registration. 
 

speakers


Grid University Schedule

Loading
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. GU101: ADMS & DERMS: Keys to Successful Deployment and Grid Transformation
    B204
    240 mins
    As electric utilities modernize their operations and prepare for increasing levels of distributed energy resources (DERs), Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADMS) and Distributed Energy Resour …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Robert Uluski
    Robert Uluski, Executive Consultant - ESTA International
    Speaker image for Stipe Fustar
    Stipe Fustar, Executive Consultant - ESTA International
    Speaker image for Manuel Atanacio
    Manuel Atanacio, Executive Consultant - ESTA International
  3. GU104: Designing Battery Storage for Utility Applications: A Practical Framework for Siting, Sizing, and Long-Term Asset Performance
    B213
    240 mins
    As utilities face accelerating load growth, increasing renewable penetration, aging infrastructure, and growing reliability and resiliency requirements, battery energy storage systems (BESS) have beco …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Sheikh Jakir Hossain
    Sheikh Jakir Hossain, CTO - Storlytics Energy Storage
    Speaker image for Huimin Li
    Huimin Li, Manager, Energy Storage Engineering - DUKE ENERGY
    Speaker image for Sherif Abdelrazek
    Sherif Abdelrazek, CEO - Storlytics Energy Storage
  4. GU106: Navigating the New NERC Compliance Landscape for Computational Loads: A Practical Guide to Project 2026-02 and the CLE Standards
    B218
    240 mins
    Note to program committee: Project 2026-02 is an active NERC standards-development effort, and several milestones referenced here (Board adoption, regulatory approval, threshold finalization, and the …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Rahul Anilkumar
    Rahul Anilkumar, Vice President, Integrated Planning - Danovo Energy Solutions
    Speaker image for Eric John
    Eric John, Sr. Director Transmission Technology Solutions - Danovo Energy Solutions
    Speaker image for Jack Gibfried
    Jack Gibfried, Engineer II - North American Reliability Corporation (NERC)
    Speaker image for Eric Meier
    Eric Meier, Supervisor - Planning Modeling at ERCOT - ERCOT
  5. GU102: DER Management Fundamentals: What It Is, Lessons Learned from Around the World, and Why It's Critical To Get Started Today
    B209
    240 mins
    In this course, we’ll explore the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of DER management: What are DER What issues arise as DER proliferates Mitigating these issues with DER grid support functions  How to manage DER to p …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Matt Wallace
    Matt Wallace, Distribution Control Center Engineering, DER Interoperability Lead - PPL Electric Utilities
  6. GU105: Data Center Load Modeling: Methods, Standards, and Validation for Grid Planning and Operations
    B214
    240 mins
    As utilities, system operators, and planners face unprecedented growth in hyperscale, cloud, and AI-driven data centers, accurately representing these facilities in power system studies has become a c …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Haowei Lu
    Haowei Lu, Sr. Engineer - Orange & Rockland Utilities
    Speaker image for Abinash Chaudhary
    Abinash Chaudhary, Principal Engineer - K&A Engineering Consulting, P.C.
    Speaker image for Hiva Nasiri
    Hiva Nasiri, Executive Consultant, Grid Modernization - Jacobs
  7. Grid University
    540 mins
1:00 PM
  1. GU204: Microgrid Solutions for Data Centers: Design, Control, and Operation
    B213
    240 mins
    The explosive growth of cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and hyperscale infrastructure has made data centers one of the fastest-growing and most power-intensive load segments on the grid. Mee …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Sai Somayajula
    Sai Somayajula, Principal Electrical Design Engineer - NVIDIA
    Speaker image for Seyyed Ali Ghorashi
    Seyyed Ali Ghorashi, Principal Engineer - Danovo Energy Solutions
    Speaker image for Roy Luo
    Roy Luo, Senior Electrical Engineer - NVIDIA
    Speaker image for Amin Zamani
    Amin Zamani, Vice President - Quanta Technology dba Danovo Energy Solutions
  2. 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
  3. GU206: Cybersecurity for Transmission and Distribution
    B218
    240 mins
    This Grid University course presents a focused review of five core cybersecurity controls for Industrial Control Systems (ICS) as published by the SANS institute in 2022, namely incident response, def …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Kelly Stich
    Kelly Stich, Chief Cyber Security Architect - SUBNET Solutions Inc.
    Speaker image for Phil Tonkin
    Phil Tonkin, Field Chief Technology Officer - Dragos
  4. GU205: Behind-the-Meter Generation for Hyperscale Data Centers: Engineering a 500 MW Co-Located Architecture for Fast-Track Grid Interconnection
    B214
    240 mins
    This Utility University course presents a collaborative case study developed by a team of engineers at K&A Engineering Consulting in coordination with utility engineers and industry engineers. The stu …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Haowei Lu
    Haowei Lu, Sr. Engineer - Orange & Rockland Utilities
    Speaker image for Abinash Chaudhary
    Abinash Chaudhary, Principal Engineer - K&A Engineering Consulting, P.C.
    Speaker image for Hiva Nasiri
    Hiva Nasiri, Executive Consultant, Grid Modernization - Jacobs
  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. GU201: Getting Started with Grid Network Model Management
    B204
    240 mins
    Strategic GoalThe strategic goal of this course is to enable participants to deliver reliable, real-time, end-to-end electrical network models that serve as a true digital twin—empowering utility plan …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Gerald Gray
    Gerald Gray, VP Digital Business Strategy - Surveying and Mapping, LLC
    Speaker image for Tyler Friedel
    Tyler Friedel, Product Owner - Ameren
    Speaker image for Phillip Jones
    Phillip Jones, VP Architecture and Solutions - SAM, LLC
8:00 AM
  1. Grid University
    240 mins
  2. GU302: Data that Matters: Driving Strategic Decisions in Asset Management
    B203
    240 mins
    Utilities are sitting on more asset data than ever — yet most organizations still manage their infrastructure reactively, responding to failures rather than preventing them. This hands-on, half-day co …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Richard Wernsing
    Richard Wernsing, President - Wernsing Consultants LLC
    Speaker image for Kate Tancke
    Kate Tancke, Director - E Source
    Speaker image for Pablo Narvaez
    Pablo Narvaez, Director, Consulting - E Source
    Speaker image for Darin Johnson
    Darin Johnson, President - BIS Consulting
  3. 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
  4. GU304: TIIRs That Deliver: Turning Standards into an Operational Reality
    B210
    240 mins
    Practical course on developing Technical Interconnection and Interoperability Requirements (TIIRs) for DER integration Focus on translating IEEE 1547-2018 interoperability requirements into clear, enf …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Xavier Francia
    Xavier Francia, Sr. Principal Technical Leader - DER Cybersecurity - Electric Power Research Institute
    Speaker image for Daniel Ernstmann
    Daniel Ernstmann, Senior Technical Leader - EPRI
    Speaker image for Ben Ealey
    Ben Ealey, Sr. Principal Team Lead, DER Communication and Data Integration - Electric Power Research Institute
  5. GU305: From Comms to Control: How Private LTE Is Powering the Autonomous Grid
    B212
    240 mins
    As utilities modernize for a more distributed, data-intensive grid, Private LTE (PLTE) is evolving from a communications solution into a foundational platform for real-time grid operations. However, m …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Juan Macias
    Juan Macias, Director IT/Telecom Emerging Projects - Kimley-Horn
    Speaker image for John Kuklinski
    John Kuklinski, Lead Portfolio Management Specialist - DUKE ENERGY
    Speaker image for Chissy Carr
    Chissy Carr, Leader Power Delivery Firmwide - Kimley-Horn