2026 Annual Spring Conference & Exhibition

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Monday, April 6, 2026

1:00 PM (CDT)

to Wednesday, April 8, 2026 at 12:00 PM (CDT)

Hilton Americas - Houston

1600 Lamar Street Houston, TX 77010-5012 United States

This Spring’s Largest “Must Attend”
Power Industry Event

Prominent Industry & Government Speakers
Timely Session Topics & Discussions
PLUS Rooftop Cocktail Reception at The Grove on April 7th

Pre-Conference Activity Add-On on Monday, April 6th

Workshop - Voltage Ride-Through (VRT) and Interconnection Studies Reform from 1:00 PM- 4:45 PM
Welcome Cocktail Reception for Attendees at Hilton from 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM

Register for these events in addition to the conference!

CONFERENCE OVERVIEW

Join us at this spring’s leading electric power conference for the ERCOT/Gulf Coast region.

500+ attendance expected!

Day One - Tuesday, April 7th

Registration and Continental Breakfast opens at 7:30 AM
Conference opening welcome at 8:20 AM
Session and keynoter presentations from 8:45 AM - 4:30 PM
Rooftop Cocktail Reception at The Grove from 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM

Day Two - Wednesday, April 8th

Registration and Continental Breakfast opens at 8:00 AM
Session and keynoter presentations from 8:30 AM - 12:05 PM
Conference adjourns at close of final session at 12:05 AM

THANKS TO OUR PLANNING COMMITTEE

Conference Co-Chairs:
Alexandra Williams, GuidePost Energy
Erica Engle

Committee:
Elaina Ball, CPS Energy
Shaun Connell, Lancium
Sarah DeVon, TotalEnergies Gas & Power
Mark Egan, Energy Evolution Advisors
Meghan Griffiths, Jackson Walker LLP
Sean Kelly, Amperon
Mariana Schmid, Microsoft

Workshop

	Credits	Price
Workshop with Conference Registration Registration Ends 4/8/26 at 11:50 AM CDT		$280.00 Price will increase to $340.00 on 3/16/26
Workshop without Conference Registration Registration Ends 4/8/26 at 11:50 AM CDT		$390.00 Price will increase to $450.00 on 3/16/26

Conference

	Credits	Price
Member $300 off the Non-Member rate. Registration Ends 4/8/26 at 11:50 AM CDT		$1,000.00 Price will increase to $1,200.00 on 3/16/26
Non-Member The Non-Member rate includes an Individual Membership valid through 12/31/26. (Click here for more information.) Registration Ends 4/8/26 at 11:50 AM CDT		$1,300.00 Price will increase to $1,500.00 on 3/16/26
GCPA Members in Job Search Mode You are unemployed and not under any contracts. This means you are actively seeking employment without a formal employment agreement in place. In this situation, you are likely eligible to apply for unemployment benefits. To register please contact Donna Foy. Registration Ends 4/8/26 at 11:50 AM CDT		$500.00 Price will increase to $600.00 on 3/16/26
Non-Members in Job Search Mode You are unemployed and not under any contracts. This means you are actively seeking employment without a formal employment agreement in place. In this situation, you are likely eligible to apply for unemployment benefits. To register please contact Donna Foy. The Non-Member rate includes an Individual Membership valid through 12/31/26. Registration Ends 4/8/26 at 11:50 AM CDT		$800.00 Price will increase to $900.00 on 3/16/26
Full-time Student Must provide proof of student status prior to registration. To register please contact Kathleen Spriggs. Registration Ends 4/8/26 at 11:50 AM CDT		$200.00 Price will increase to $300.00 on 4/4/26

Welcome Reception

	Credits	Price
Welcome Reception Welcome Cocktail Reception on Monday, April 6th for Attendees at Hilton from 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM		FREE

Agenda

April 6
1:00 PM - 4:45 PM	PRE-CONFERENCE HALF DAY WORKSHOP See the Workshop tab for more information
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM	Welcome Cocktail Reception for Attendees at Hilton
April 7
7:30 AM	REGISTRATION & CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST
8:20 AM	GCPA President’s Welcome & Conference Introduction
8:30 AM	POWER STAR AWARD PRESENTATION
8:45 AM	KEYNOTE – When Electrons Meet Elections: The Political Weaponization of the Grid
9:15 AM	Session I - Life After Go-Live: Early Lessons from Real-Time Co-Optimization (RTC)
10:00 AM	NETWORKING BREAK
10:30 AM	Vignette - The Electron Economy: Montauk Climate's Investment Thesis
11:00 AM	Session II - Retail Evolution: Consolidation, DERs, and the Virtual Power Plant Revolution
11:45 AM	LUNCHEON
1:15 PM	KEYNOTE - Federal Energy Policy in the New Administration
2:15 PM	Session III - The Great Build-Out: Navigating the Supply Chain and Labor Crunch
3:00 PM	Session IV - Rethinking 'Reliability': Are We Solving for the Right Problem?
3:45 PM	LIVE PODCAST RECORDING - Close of Business Tuesday
4:30 PM - 6:30 PM	COCKTAIL RECEPTION AT THE GROVE Join us at this beautiful rooftop location across the street from the Hilton Americas.
April 8
8:00 AM	REGISTRATION & CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST
8:30 AM	ANNOUNCEMENTS
8:35 AM	KEYNOTE - Powering the AI Revolution: Designing the Gigawatt-Scale Data Centers of the Future
9:05 AM	Vignette - Large Load Lessons from Virginia
9:20 AM	Session VI - Forecasting the Unknown: How Load Uncertainty Shapes the Future of 765 kV and Transmission Cost Allocation
10:05 AM	NETWORKING BREAK
10:35 AM	Vignette - 765kV Progress Report
10:50 AM	KEYNOTE - The Next Frontier: Advanced Technologies and Grid Resilience – A Vision of the Future
11:20 AM	Session VIII - Why Not in My Backyard: Interconnecting in NOIE Territory
11:50 AM	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)

Voltage Ride-Through (VRT) and Interconnection Studies Reform Workshop

Navigate the evolving landscape of grid interconnection requirements in this essential workshop for developers, operators, and market participants. As VRT standards continue to evolve and studies reshape project economics, understanding these technical requirements has never been more critical.

Background: Standards are being defined now, but requirements are being applied to projects that were already approved, creating a moving target for developers and operators seeking to maintain compliance while managing project economics.

Workshop Focus: This workshop provides practical guidance on navigating VRT requirements and study processes, including:

Understanding current and proposed VRT standards and their technical implications
Managing retroactive requirements on existing projects
Study dynamics and cost allocation strategies
Best practices for equipment selection and testing protocols
Case studies from recent interconnection experiences

Preliminary AGENDA

1:00 PM Opening Remarks

1:15 PM VRT Standards: Current State and Future Direction

2:15 PM Navigating Studies: Economics and Strategy

3:15 PM BREAK

3:30 PM Panel: Developer and Operator Perspectives

4:30 PM Closing Remarks

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 approximately 8 hours of credit if all conference sessions are attended and approximately 3 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. Attendees will receive approximately 10.0 hours of credit if all conference sessions are attended and approximately 3 hours of credit for the workshop.

Attorneys: GCPA will be applying with the Texas State Bar for approval of CLE hours for portions of this conference. Please check back for approved hours.