PG&E

The program spans project execution, nuclear energy, and grids, AI, and infrastructure. Sessions address financing and delivering the U.S. energy buildout; grid capacity, interconnection, transmission, reliability, and cost allocation; and the effects of data-center and industrial demand on power planning. Nuclear topics include power for data centers, first-of-a-kind project cost and delivery, nuclear finance, HALEU and fuel supply, utility choices among large reactors, SMRs, and microreactors, and pathways to SMR deployment. Other sessions cover LNG security, trade, and investment; energy storage and grid-edge technologies; AI in energy operations; and project bankability, permitting, policy, supply-chain, and delivery risks. The program also includes executive roundtables, a project-execution clinic, and an energy startup pitch competition.

The program covers utility grid modernization, distribution planning, ADMS and DERMS deployment, distributed energy resource management, advanced metering, battery storage, microgrids, and data-center load growth. Sessions address grid reliability and resilience, wildfire risk, cybersecurity and OT security, AI applications in planning and operations, utility communications, affordability, workforce development, and policy and regulation. Named program items include “How Are Utility CEOs Driving the Age of Acceleration?”, “How Will the Data Center Boom Define the Evolution of the Grid?”, and “US DOE Grid Modernization Investment Framework – An Effective Cost Justification for Building the Grid of the Future.”

The public-facing program combines plenary presentations, industry, academia, and technology-sector panels, and Purdue-led research posters and lightning talks. Themes include grid planning and operations amid rapid load growth; AI for grid performance and grid studies; flexibility across large loads, transmission systems, distribution networks, and distributed energy resources; and grid investments, interconnections, and transmission improvements. Panels address grid operations with large loads, flexibility as a grid resource, grid planning with large loads, and AI for grid operations. The members-only program includes an advisory board meeting and a concurrent student career event. The advisory board reviews 2026 project reports, considers Purdue faculty proposals for 2027 research, and deliberates on proposed research activities for industry-member voting. The career event gives Purdue students an opportunity to explore energy-sector engineering careers and discuss internships and employment with industry representatives.