California Powers Up: Energy & Policy Solutions Summit August 11, 2026
California has long been a leader in rethinking how we power our homes and businesses, but we risk increasingly unaffordable and unreliable power if we continue to do things the way they have always been done. With modern solutions ready to be deployed today, it’s time for California to reimagine the way it powers up.
California Powers Up: Energy & Policy Solutions Summit will bring together state lawmakers, industry leaders, and advocates who are working to modernize California’s grid and deliver more reliable, affordable, and forward-looking energy solutions.
This event will provide real answers to California’s most pressing energy questions, including:
What factors are driving California’s electricity rates to rank among the highest in the nation, and what policy or market solutions could improve affordability?
What are the modern energy technologies that are leading the way to address some of the most critical energy and load growth challenges the state is facing?
What energy issues are the state legislature and CPUC working to address this legislative session, and how are those bills moving through the state?
Which recent policy developments are most likely to have long-term impacts on California’s energy system, and what gaps remain unaddressed?
What is in store for the next Governor of California, and how can state leaders work with the advanced energy industry to address energy challenges facing the state?
California Powers Up Agenda
8:15 AM – 9:00 AM
Registration & Networking Breakfast
9:00 AM – 9:20 AM
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Speaker: Amisha Rai
9:20 AM – 10:10 AM
Panel: Solutions to Rising Electricity Costs in California
California’s electricity costs are among the highest in the nation and still climbing.
This panel discusses the solutions being explored and deployed to reduce costs for
households and businesses today and keep them in check for the future.
Panelists:
- David Hochschild
- Timothy O’Connor
- Arch Rao
10:10 AM – 10:30 AM
Networking Break
10:30 AM – 11:20 AM
Panel: Writing the Energy Story: How the Press is Covering California’s Energy Landscape
Electricity affordability, wildfire resilience, and AI-driven load growth are dominating energy coverage in California. This panel brings together reporters and communications professionals covering energy for a candid conversation about how the story is being told and what we can do better to communicate about these issues.
Speakers:
- John Myers
- Jeff St. John
- Noah Baustin
- Caroline Schappert (Moderator)
11:20 AM – 12:20 PM
Networking Lunch
12:20 PM – 1:10 PM
Panel: The 2025-26 California Policy Landscape: What Has Happened and Where We Are Headed
From landmark legislation signed into law to live, ongoing debates on affordability and reliability, California’s 2025-2026 session has been consequential for clean energy.
This panel takes stock of what happened, what didn’t, and where the state is headed to address its most pressing energy issues.
Speakers:
- Brandon Garcia (Moderator)
- Katelyn Roedner Sutter
1:10 PM – 1:30 PM
Networking Break
1:30 PM – 2:20 PM
Breakouts: Energy Solutions Showcase
This hour is all about learning what technology solutions are being explored or deployed in California. Choose your own adventure by selecting which breakout you would like to attend.
Breakout A: When the Lights Go Out: Solutions for Extreme Weather & Resilience
Wildfires and heat waves are a perpetual reminder that California’s energy challenges can lead to life-threatening events. This session examines what solutions the industry has already deployed, what policy solutions are being explored today, and what still needs to happen to make California communities genuinely resilient.
Speaker: Erik Lyon
Breakout B: Grid of the Future: Build It, Make It Flexible, Make It Affordable
Energy demand isn’t going down any time soon, and we need solutions to help us build the energy system we need, make it flexible, and make it affordable. During this breakout, companies will take the floor to describe real technologies and projects they are deploying and demonstrate that the clean energy industry offers a full stack of solutions ready to meet the state’s most pressing challenges.
Speaker: Rachel McMahon
2:20 PM – 3:10 PM
Panel: Navigating the Road Ahead: What’s in Store for the Next Governor
California’s next governor will inherit one of the most complex energy landscapes in the country. This closing panel will assess what is in store for the next Governor, where leading candidates stand on these issues, and what the clean energy industry needs from the next administration.
3:10 PM – 3:30 PM
Closing Remarks
4:00 PM – 5:30 PM
California Energy Leaders Reception
Cap off the day by connecting with the clean energy executives, policymakers, and innovators who are driving California’s energy future. The California Energy Leaders Reception brings together the state’s top voices in clean energy for focused networking following a full day of policy dialogue at California Powers Up.
