Preliminary Agenda

Tuesday, January 26, 2027

Theme: Building the Intelligent and Flexible Distribution Grid

9:00 – 9:30 am
Opening Address: From Grid Modernization to Grid Intelligence

A strategic look at how utilities can move beyond conventional grid modernization toward a more adaptive, data-driven and flexible distribution system

• Responding to electrification, DER growth and changing load patterns

• Making flexibility a core distribution-system capability

• Connecting grid investments with operational priorities

• Defining the intelligent distribution utility of the future

9:30 – 10:30 am
Session 1: The New Distribution Operating Model

Examines how utilities are adapting their planning and operational models as customers, aggregators and distributed resources become active grid participants

• Managing increasingly dynamic and multidirectional power flows

• Redefining utility, aggregator and customer responsibilities

• Integrating flexibility into routine distribution operations

• Aligning organizational structures with emerging grid capabilities

10:30 – 11:00 am Networking Coffee Break

11:00 – 12:15 pm
Session 2: DERMS in Practice—Moving from Visibility to Active Orchestration

A discussion of how DERMS is progressing from monitoring and situational awareness toward real-time coordination, control and optimization of distributed resources

• Integrating DERMS with ADMS, SCADA, OMS and planning platforms

• Coordinating front-of-the-meter and behind-the-meter resources

• Prioritizing operational DERMS use cases and deployment phases

• Measuring the value and performance of DER orchestration

12:15 – 1:15 pm Lunch Break

1:15 – 2:30 pm
Session 3: Flexible Interconnection—Connecting More Resources Without Waiting for Traditional Upgrades

Explores interconnection approaches that use operating limits, active management and grid intelligence to accommodate DER growth more quickly and affordably

• Applying dynamic and flexible operating envelopes

• Establishing curtailment rules, controls and customer agreements

• Using real-time grid conditions to manage interconnection capacity

• Balancing faster interconnection with reliability and customer certainty

2:30 – 3:00 pm Networking Coffee Break

3:00 – 4:15 pm
Session 4: Distribution Planning for a High-DER, High-Load-Growth Future

Looks at how utilities can improve forecasting, scenario analysis and investment planning amid rapid growth in distributed generation and large loads

• Modeling uncertain DER adoption and localized load growth

• Linking hosting-capacity analysis with capital planning

• Evaluating flexibility as an alternative to traditional upgrades

• Coordinating short-term operations with long-term planning decisions

4:15 – 4:30 pm Coffee Break

4:00 – 5:15 pm
Session 5: Unlocking Grid Capacity Through Distributed Flexibility

How utilities can use flexible resources to relieve constraints, improve asset utilization and defer selected distribution-system investments

• Identifying locations and time periods where flexibility has value

• Comparing flexible resources with conventional grid upgrades

• Procuring and dispatching flexibility for local system needs

• Measuring performance and incorporating flexibility into planning

5:15 – 6:45 pm Networking Reception

Wednesday, January 27, 2027

Theme: Operationalizing Flexibility at Scale

9:00 – 9:30 am
Opening Address: From Flexibility Pilots to Utility-Scale Operations

What utilities, regulators and technology providers must accomplish to make distributed flexibility dependable, repeatable and scalable

• Moving from demonstrations to durable operating programs

• Establishing repeatable technical and commercial frameworks

• Overcoming organizational, regulatory and data barriers

• Building confidence in flexible resources as grid assets

9:30 – 10:30 am
Session 6: VPPs as Distribution-System Resources

How virtual power plants can support local distribution needs in addition to providing wholesale-market and system-level services

• Coordinating VPP dispatch with distribution constraints

• Improving utility visibility into aggregated resource portfolios

• Managing conflicts among customer, market and grid objectives

• Developing utility-aggregator operating protocols

10:30 – 11:00 am Networking Coffee Break

11:00 – 12:15 pm
Session 7: Data, Analytics and AI for Real-Time Distribution Intelligence

Turning expanding volumes of grid and customer data into better forecasts, faster decisions and more effective operational control

• Combining AMI, sensor, DER and network-model data

• Improving load, generation and flexibility forecasting

• Applying AI to anomaly detection and operational decision support

• Maintaining data quality, governance, privacy and cybersecurity

12:15 – 1:15 pm Lunch Break

1:15 – 2:30 pm
Session 8: Operating Across the ADMS–DERMS–Grid Edge Continuum

A discussion of the integration architecture required to coordinate control-room systems, distributed platforms, field devices and customer resources

• Defining the respective roles of ADMS, DERMS and edge controls

• Establishing reliable data and command flows across platforms

• Managing latency, communications failures and system boundaries

• Avoiding fragmented applications and overlapping functionality

2:30 – 3:00 pm Networking Coffee Break

3:00 – 4:00 pm
Session 9: Building the Resilient, Flexible Distribution Utility

Key perspectives on how grid intelligence and flexibility can become standard elements of distribution planning and operations

• Integrating resilience, affordability and decarbonization objectives

• Prioritizing investments across software, communications and infrastructure

• Developing the workforce and organizational capabilities required

• Establishing a practical roadmap for the next three to five years

To reach out with questions, comments and requests for information, please use this form. We will respond asap!