EPIC26 Positions Electrical Industry Leaders for the Next Era of Power
Key Takeaways
- The event focuses on leadership, strategy, and innovation to help organizations navigate industry transformation.
- Includes keynotes from top executives addressing grid modernization, cybersecurity, and supply chain resilience.
- Offers educational sessions, panels, and workshops to foster collaboration and practical problem-solving.
- Highlights the importance of digital transformation, workforce development, and infrastructure planning.
- Brings together a diverse group of industry stakeholders to promote cross-sector collaboration and long-term growth, along with exploring new equipment and monitoring technologies that will shape the electrical power infrastructure landscape.
The electrical power industry is undergoing rapid transformation driven by soaring power demand, digitalization, electrification, and mounting workforce pressures. For executives, operations leaders, and organizational strategists, the challenge is no longer whether change is coming — it’s how quickly organizations can adapt and lead.
That’s the backdrop for EPIC26 – Electrical Power Innovations Conference, the Electrical Power Innovations Conference hosted by NETA, which aims to bring together industry decision-makers focused on long-term growth, resilience, and modernization across the electrical power landscape. This year's conference will be held October 11-13 at the Sheraton in Fort Worth, Texas.
A Conference Focused on Strategy and Leadership
Unlike traditional technical conferences, EPIC26 is designed as a leadership-focused event centered on organizational strategy, professional development, and business transformation. The conference will explore how companies can convert industry disruption into competitive advantage through technology adoption, workforce planning, and cross-sector collaboration.
Conference organizers say the event is built to help leaders navigate accelerating power and service demand while aligning operational and investment strategies with emerging technologies and evolving customer expectations.
Key topics will include emerging technologies, system modernization, reliability, cybersecurity, workforce readiness, digital transformation, and infrastructure planning.
Addressing the Industry’s Biggest Challenges
The electrical power sector is facing unprecedented pressure as electrification, distributed energy resources (DERs), inverter-based systems, and large electronic loads continue reshaping power system operations. At the same time, utilities, service providers, and manufacturers are being asked to deliver higher reliability, improved sustainability, and faster response times.
EPIC26’s educational sessions are intended to provide attendees with both technical insight and strategic guidance for managing these evolving demands. Organizers emphasize that the event is not solely focused on technology, but also on how organizations can align capital planning, workforce development, and operational strategy with future industry requirements.
The conference format includes keynote presentations, 60-minute educational sessions, symposium-style panels, and hands-on workshops designed to encourage collaboration and practical problem-solving among attendees.
Executive-Level Keynotes
This year’s keynote lineup (outlined below) will feature speakers from across the electrical power ecosystem, offering perspectives on grid modernization, digital transformation, supply chain resilience, and cybersecurity.
Powering Progress: Past Lessons, Present Realities, Future Solutions
Mark Carpenter, Senior Vice President of Transmission & Distribution Operations at Oncor, will discuss how utilities are adapting to changing grid demands through automation, advanced analytics, digital twins, and condition-based maintenance strategies. His presentation is expected to address the operational and workforce challenges associated with maintaining reliability amid rapid growth.
Cybersecurity, AI, and IoT: Catalysts for Industry Evolution
Hector Perez of Black & Veatch will examine the growing importance of cybersecurity and operational technology (OT) protection as utilities and industrial facilities continue integrating AI-driven systems and connected infrastructure. His session will focus on why cybersecurity has become a board-level issue and how organizations can balance innovation with infrastructure protection.
Power Supply Chains and Building Better Systems
David Speidelsbach, Vice President of Sales & Strategic Initiatives for Electrical Power at Wesco, will present on supply chain resilience and strategic partnerships, highlighting how organizations can strengthen procurement strategies and improve system-wide coordination during periods of expansion and modernization.
Collaboration Across the Industry
EPIC26 is expected to draw participants from utilities, engineering firms, manufacturers, testing companies, service providers, and regulatory organizations. Participating organizations include Black & Veatch, Eaton, GE Vernova, Schneider Electric, Siemens, and Oncor, along with NETA Accredited Companies and industry authorities such as the U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Energy, Hartford Steam Boiler (HSB), NERC, NFPA, and Rosendin.
Investing in the Future of Electrical Power
As the electrical power industry continues to evolve, conferences such as EPIC26 are increasingly becoming strategic business forums rather than purely educational events. For executives and organizational leaders, the conference represents an opportunity to evaluate emerging trends, strengthen industry relationships, and position their companies for long-term success in a rapidly changing environment.
Registration for EPIC26 is currently open here. More information is available at epicpower.org.