2026 Annual Fall Conference & Exhibition

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Monday, September 28, 2026

12:00 PM (CDT)

to Wednesday, September 30, 2026 at 12:00 PM (CDT)

AT&T Hotel & Conference Center

1900 University Avenue Austin, TX 78705 United States

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Category: Fall Conference

Largest Annual Regional Gathering of Power Professionals!

Prominent Industry & Government Speakers
Timely Session Topics & Discussions

Building the Grid of 2050: One Decision at a Time

The decisions being made right now — on transmission costs, large load interconnection, market economics, and grid technology — are writing the architecture of the ERCOT grid that Texans will depend on for decades to come. Join us in Austin this September for three days of the conversations that matter most, with the leaders shaping what comes next.

CONFERENCE OVERVIEW

850+ attendance expected!

Pre-Conference Activities - Monday, September 28th

“Who Pays for the Grid? Transmission Cost Allocation in ERCOT” Workshop from 1:00 PM - 4:30 PM
(separate fee and registration needed)
Welcome Cocktail Reception for Attendees from 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
(included with conference or workshop registration - must register)

Register for these events in addition to the conference!

Fall Conference Day One - Tuesday, September 29th

Registration and Continental Breakfast opens at 7:30 AM
Conference opening welcome at 8:00 AM
Session and keynoter presentations from 8:30 AM - 5:15 PM
Cocktail Reception from 5:15 PM - 7:00 PM

Fall Conference Day Two - Wednesday, September 30th

Registration and Continental Breakfast opens at 8:00 AM
Session and keynoter presentations from 8:30 AM - 11:50 PM
Conference adjourns at 12:00 PM

THANKS TO OUR PLANNING COMMITTEE

Conference Chairs:
Kara Beckman, Sr. Director, Regulatory & Political Affairs, NextEra Energy Resources
Bryan Sams, Vice President, Government & Regulatory Affairs, Calpine

Committee:
Michael Boldt, Greenberg Traurig
Amanda Frazier, Guadalupe Valley Electric Coop
Ryan King, ERCOT
Will McAdams, McAdams Energy Group
Evan Neel, Lancium
Jenni Rochelle, RWE
Ben Utley, Texas-New Mexico Power

Conference

(workshop & reception tickets are below — scroll down to select all)

	Credits	Price
Member $300 off the Non-Member rate. Registration Ended 9/30/26 at 12:00 PM CDT		$1,000.00
Non-Member The Non-Member rate includes an Individual Membership valid through 12/31/26. (Click here for more information.) Registration Ended 9/30/26 at 12:00 PM CDT		$1,300.00
Member in Job Search Mode Available to energy professionals who are currently unemployed, not under contract, and actively seeking full-time employment. Not available to retired, semi-retired, or consulting professionals. Must confirm no current employment or contract at time of registration. Limited to 3 GCPA conferences within a 24-month period. To register, please contact Event Staff. Registration Ended 9/30/26 at 12:00 PM CDT		$500.00
Non-Member in Job Search Mode Available to energy professionals who are currently unemployed, not under contract, and actively seeking full-time employment. Not available to retired, semi-retired, or consulting professionals. Must confirm no current employment or contract at time of registration. Limited to 3 GCPA conferences within a 24-month period. Includes 2026 Membership To register, please contact Event Staff. Registration Ended 9/30/26 at 12:00 PM CDT		$800.00
Full-time Student Must provide proof of student status prior to registration. To register, please contact Event Staff. Registration Ended 9/30/26 at 12:00 AM CDT		$200.00

Workshop

Monday, September 28 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

	Credits	Price
Workshop with Conference Registration Registration Ended 9/30/26 at 12:00 PM CDT		$280.00
Workshop without Conference Registration Registration Ended 9/30/26 at 12:00 PM CDT		$390.00

Welcome Reception

September 28, 2026 5:00pm

	Credits	Price
Welcome Reception Welcome Cocktail Reception on Monday, September for Attendees from 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM		FREE

Agenda

September 28
12:00 PM	Registration
1:00 PM - 4:30 PM	Pre-Conference Half Day Workshop See the Workshop tab for more information
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM	Welcome Reception at AT&T Conference Center
September 29
7:30 AM	Registration & Continental Breakfast
8:00 AM	Conference Opening Welcome
8:15 AM	emPOWERing YOUNG PROFESSIONALS AWARD PRESENTATION
8:30 AM	FIRESIDE CHAT: A Conversation with Robert Gaudette and Pat Wood III: Building the Grid of 2050
9:00 AM	Session I - The Road to the 90th: A Legislative Preview
9:45 AM	Session II - The Vanishing Spark Spread: What Price Erosion Means for New Investment
10:30 AM	NETWORKING BREAK
11:15 AM	Session III - Build It, Bypass It, or Share the Grid? Weighing Large-Load Connection Strategies
12:00 PM	LUNCHEON
1:30 PM	DEBATE: Point / Counterpoint: Does ERCOT Need a 765kV Backbone?
2:00 PM	Session IV - Post-Batch: Where Large Load Interconnection Stands After Batch Zero
2:45 PM	NETWORKING BREAK
3:30 PM	Vignette - The Water-Energy Nexus: What Power Plants and Data Centers Are Competing For
3:45 PM	Session V - Affordability Under Pressure: Keeping the Lights On Without Breaking the Bank
4:30 PM	Session VI - Live Podcast Recording: The Energy Evolution Podcast from S&P Global
5:15 PM - 7:00 PM	Cocktail Reception
September 30
8:00 AM	Registration & Continental Breakfast
8:30 AM	ANNOUNCEMENTS
8:35 AM	FIRESIDE CHAT: A Conversation with Amanda Peterson Corio & Brian Lloyd \| From Bypass to Bridge: How Data Centers and the Grid Get to 2050 Together.
9:05 AM	Session VII - Jobs in 2035: The Skills the Texas Energy Economy Will Need
9:50 AM	NETWORKING BREAK
10:20 AM	Keynote: The Grid of 2050, One Home at a Time: Building America's Next Power Plant in Its Backyards
10:50 AM	Vignette - AI-Enabled Grid Optimization: What’s Actually Being Deployed Today
11:05 AM	Session VIII - The 2050 ERCOT Grid: A Multi-Generational Vision
11:50 AM	CLOSING REMARKS
12:00 PM	CONFERENCE ADJOURNS

DIAMOND SPONSORS

PLATINUM SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSORS

MEDIA PARTNER

Sponsor Today

To learn more about sponsorships and exhibits, please review our Sponsor/Exhibitor Brochure and contact Deputy Executive Director Mary Armstrong (281.460.3054)

Who Pays for the Grid? Transmission Cost Allocation in ERCOT Workshop Agenda

1:00 PM - Welcome & Introduction
1:15 PM - Vignette - Bill Shock: Reading a Real Transmission Cost Statement Line by Line
1:30 PM - Panel I: The 4-CP to 12-CP: What the Shift Actually Changes - and Who Pays
2:15 PM - Networking Break
2:45 PM - Vignette - Mapping the Load Growth Wave: Where ERCOT's Forecast Demand Actually Lands
3:00 PM - Panel II - Who Really Pays? Cross-Subsidization and the Affordability Tension
3:45 PM - Panel III - From Rulemaking to Reality: What the 90th Legislature Should Do About Cost Allocation
4:30 PM - Workshop Adjourns

CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT INFORMATION

PEs: As part of the Continuing Education Program requirements for Professional Engineers in Texas, each licensed engineer is required to earn 15 hours per year of Professional Development Hours (PDH).
Attendees will receive 9.00 hours of credit if all conference sessions are attended and 3.00 hours of credit for the workshop.

CPAs: GCPA is a Board Registered CPE Sponsor with the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy. This registration does not constitute an endorsement by the Board as to the quality of our CPE program. The learning objectives for CPAs attending the conference are: to gain in-depth knowledge on the upcoming legislative session; stranded asset risk; price shape erosion; grid connection strategies for large loads; large load interconnection after Batch Zero; water-energy nexus; customer cost-bearing under grid expansion; job skills forecast in future Texas energy market; AI enabled grid optimization; and the 2050 ERCOT grid. There are no prerequisites. The learning objectives for the workshop are: to gain in-depth knowledge on transmission cost allocation in ERCOT.
Attendees will receive 10.8 hours of credit if all conference sessions are attended and 3.6 hours of credit for the workshop.

Attorneys: The Texas State Bar has approved 4.75 CLE hours for the conference and 2.5 CLE hours for the workshop. GCPA sponsor no. is 2661; the course number is 174335945.

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