2026 Summer Workshops:  Advanced Grid Solutions Workshop

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
Registration & Breakfast
Registration Location: Crystal Foyer
Breakfast Location: Silverton Ballroom (2nd Floor)

8:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Session 1A: Grid Transformation — Technologies That Can Meet Changing Energy Needs
Session Chair: Jake Gentle, Senior Technical Manager, Distributed Energy Systems, Idaho National Laboratory (INL)
Location: Crystal B/C

The opening session will start broader with some key organizations sharing their roadmaps to using innovative solutions, how they are looking at the whole suite of tools available now and in the future, and how they get them adopted by their company and their stakeholders.

• ERCOT’s Grid Research, Innovation and Transformation Roadmap
  Prashant Kansal, Director of Grid Transformation, Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)
• From Pilots to Implementation: APS Use of Advanced Technologies
  Jay Hastings, Executive Program Lead, Arizona Public Service
• U.S. DOE Efforts to Accelerate Grid Innovations to Impact
  Kerry Cheung, Director, Applied Grid Transformation, U.S. Department of Energy Office of Electricity
• Advanced Technologies Operating Across the West
  Dede Subakti, Vice President of System Operations, California Independent System Operator (CAISO)

9:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Break
Location: Crystal Foyer

10:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Session 2A: AI: Overview and Trust Fireside Chat
Session Chair: Liz Cook, Vice President of Technical Strategy, Association of Illuminating Companies (AEIC)
Location: Crystal B/C

This two-part session will include a brief overview from a few presenters sharing how various AI solutions work and how they apply within their organizations. Following the presentations, a panel of tool providers and ISO’s/Utilities will talk about trust in AI and if AI standards are beneficial.

• From Generative to Agentic: AI Transforming Power Systems Planning and Operations
  Xing Wang, Global Leader, Grid Modernization, AWS Energy and Utilities, Amazon Web Services
• Control Room of the Future: AI Meets Digital Twin
  Seong Choi, Engineering Lead, National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR)

Panel session on Building Trust in AI in Power Applications:

• Ryan Patton, Lead Reliability Coordinator, North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC)
• Dede Subatki, Vice President of System Operations, California ISO (CAISO)
• Yang Weng, Associate Professor, School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, Arizona State University
• Mohammad Gharaibeh, Manager of AI & DIgital Transformation, Cleco

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Lunch
Location: Silverton Ballroom (2nd Floor)

1:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Session 3A: Planning and Operating Frameworks for Advanced Transmission Technologies
Session Chair: Madeliene Balchan, Program Manager, GridLab
Location: Crystal B/C

The session will be focused on any frameworks that companies have put together on how GETs are considered in planning or in operations.

• Developing a Framework and Guidebook for Assessing ATTs at Xcel
  Rajarshi Roychowdury, Manager, Transmission Planning, Xcel Energy
• Advancing Transmission Planning with GETs: Practical Methodologies and Tools
  Alberto del Rosso, Area Manager, Grid Operation & Planning, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
• Planning with ATTs and State Law Compliance: Early Developments and Lessons Learned
  Zach Zimmerman, Director of Research and Policy, Grid Strategies
• From Conventional Planning to GET-Enabled Studies: Key Implementation Challenges
  Matt Mazhari, Director, Transmission Planning, Electric Power Engineers (EPE)

2:45 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Break
Location: Crystal Foyer

3:15 p.m. – 4:40 p.m.
Session 4A: What is the Next Set of Advanced Grid Solutions?
Session Chair: Kory Hedman, Director, PSERC; Professor, Arizona State University
Location: Crystal B/C

This panel will include the new technologies coming down the pike from researchers and academic institutions, including both software and hardware.

• Using AI to Speed Up Traditional Power System Optimization Problems
  Kyri Baker, Associate Professor, University of Colorado
• Advanced in Grid Foundation Models
  Hendrik Hamann, Chief Scientist, Brookhaven National Laboratory
• Commercial Stochastic Modeling Software to Assess Operational Risk in Power Systems
  Jesse Angrist, Modeling Engineer, Loudon Energy Analytics / Princeton University
• Potential for Quantum Computing Applied to Power System Applications
  Hongyu Wu, Associate Professor, Kansas State University

4:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Closing Discussion
Location: Crystal B/C
Facilitated by Congcong Wang, Director, Markets and Grid Research, Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) and Michael McAmis, Senior Program Manager, Grid R&D, The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)