Save The Date for PowerGen 2026 January 20 – January 22, 2026 – San Antonio

THE 2026 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE IS NOW LIVE!
The POWERGEN 2026 Technical Conference Program is here, and it is built to tackle the toughest challenges in power generation today.

From conventional energy to renewables, every track is designed to help you overcome operational challenges, reduce risk, and prepare your business for the future. With 10 tracks and 250+ expert-led sessions, you’ll learn directly from the industry leaders like CPS Energy, Vistra, Dominion Energy, NRG, Avista Utilities, Constellation, ERCOT, CyrusOne, Siemens Energy, and GE Vernova.

POWERGEN is the premier networking and business hub for power generation professionals and solution providers. It unites power producers, utilities, EPCs, consultants, OEMs, and large-scale energy users. As the industry evolves toward cleaner and more sustainable energy, POWERGEN fosters a progressive environment for both established professionals and new energy leaders driving the transition to a more sustainable future. We invite technology experts, engineers, suppliers, decision-makers, and thought leaders to join us in exploring innovative solutions, learning from past and present projects, and shaping the future of power generation. This includes a focus on The Total Energy Mix: Powering the Future, ensuring that all energy sources are considered in the journey towards sustainability.

These sessions are vetted and curated by our advisory committee and in-house content team for excellence and thought leadership. The content is presented in a variety of formats, including 45-minute presentations case studies, and 60-minute panel discussions.

Select a conference track:

Powering the Future
Optimizing Plant Performance
All About the Gas Turbine
Nuclear’s Evolution
Energy Storage Deployments
Utility-Scale Renewables
Onsite Power and Flexible Generation
Hydrogen and Low-Carbon Fuels
Carbon Capture and Emission Controls
Exploring Trends in Hydropower

Powering the Future

The power generation industry faces several challenges, such as explosive electricity demand, net-zero goals and supply chain constraints, all while working to maintain reliability. This track highlights how utilities, power producers, EPC companies and other stakeholders are adapting to these modern realities, from high-level planning strategies to regulatory considerations.

Utility resource planning
Decarbonization strategies
Meeting load growth projections
Market trends and dynamics
Renewable energy integration
Adapting to evolving policy
Addressing regulatory factors in power projects
Navigating supply chain challenges
Maintaining system reliability under growing pressures
Workforce issues

Optimizing Plant Performance

Power generation owners and operators must strategically manage their assets and optimize operations and maintenance to reduce downtime and maintain peak efficiency. This includes leveraging data and the latest digital and monitoring technologies that enhance decision-making, drive down costs and ensure that generating facilities remain viable.

Topics in this case study-heavy track include:

Predictive, preventative and corrective maintenance
Remote monitoring
Outage management
SCADA and CMMS
Case studies on equipment upgrades
Weatherization strategies
New technologies for O&M
Data analytics
Artificial Intelligence/augmented reality
Digital twins
Plant retirement strategies
Procedures and safety

All About the Gas Turbine

Gas turbines remain the workhorse of modern power generation, offering flexibility and reliability. This track will explore the evolving role of gas turbines during the energy transition, including advancements in turbine technology, fuel flexibility and operational optimization. Technical case studies will cover emissions reduction and efficiency improvements.

Advancements in gas turbine technology
Fuel flexibility
Pilot projects with low-carbon fuels
Changing operational profile
Emissions reduction technologies
Market trends and regulatory influences
Turbine maintenance and lifecycle management
Integrating turbines with energy storage and flexible generation systems
Future market roles and opportunities

Nuclear’s Evolution

Utilities, power producers and large electricity users are interested in nuclear energy as a “clean firm” power solution. Once-retired large, conventional reactors are being brought back to life, while companies are racing to deploy smaller reactors with the promise of cheaper and faster build times. Topics in this track include advanced nuclear technologies and deployment plans, O&M issues for the current fleet and increasingly favorable regulatory policy.

O&M case studies
Outage management
Small Modular Reactor and Microreactor (SMRs) technologies
Project financing
Supply chain and construction costs
Safety and compliance
Workforce challenges
Evolving policy support

Energy Storage Deployments

The electric power sector is rapidly deploying energy storage options that range in terms of duration and technology. Lithium-ion battery storage continues to grow significantly, but longer-duration storage technologies like compressed air systems and other novel battery chemistries are also being developed and tested. This track focuses on the growing adoption of storage technologies, technical and operational challenges and pathways to their further adoption.

Topics include:

Utility-scale case studies and applications
Integration challenges
Non-battery storage solutions
Safe operations and best practices
System financing and viability
Hybrid power plants

Utility-Scale Renewables

For optimal performance and reliability, utility-scale solar and wind generation requires a strategic, fleetwide operations and maintenance approach. This track will explore key O&M and EPC considerations—siting, component health, operational risks and balance of system challenges—alongside case studies and the latest technologies in inspections and monitoring. Discussions will also address policy, supply chain disruptions and other current trends, providing actionable insights for developers, asset owners and O&M professionals navigating today’s evolving energy landscape.

Topics include:

Siting and basic infrastructure issues
Inspections and monitoring
Inverter maintenance and replacement
Solar cell degradation and microcracking
Balance of system issues
Monitoring and forecasting
Turbine control systems
Major component repair including gearboxes
Repowering
Supply chain/manufacturer challenges
Policy and regulation

Onsite Power and Flexible Generation

Microgrids, flexible gen-sets, CHP and others represent a growing segment of the energy evolution and the shift from centralized power. Customers like data centers are making the biggest splash, shifting from temporary power strategies and building large onsite plants to work around utility interconnection delays. Sometimes they’re ditching the grid entirely. Universities, hospitals and industrial companies are also adopting microgrids for resilience and mission critical needs. This track will feature case studies of onsite generation projects, highlighting their operational flexibility and interaction with the grid and utilities.

Topics include:

Microgrids and distributed energy resources
The latest data center solutions
Reciprocating engines, turbines and fuel cells
Flexibility and resilience in power systems
Renewable energy and storage integration
Utility and customer collaboration
Co-location strategies
Policy and regulatory considerations
Asset management
Financing and investment in flexible generation solutions

Hydrogen and Low-Carbon Fuels

Exploring cleaner fuels – present and potential future. Among alternative fuels, biofuels are the most established, while hydrogen and ammonia are still being explored and tested. This track will feature the latest case studies, insights and technical advancements in the power generation alternative fuel space. This includes the opportunities and barriers to larger deployment for combusting and storing hydrogen, a recipient of attention and favorable policy in recent years.

Advancements in hydrogen and ammonia for power generation
Hydrogen blending case studies
Balance of plant considerations
Market drivers and opportunities for large-scale deployment
Emerging power generation strategies for biofuels
Biomass co-firing with coal
Boiler maintenance
Ash handling and emissions control
Policy and regulatory support
Safety and operational

Carbon Capture and Emission Controls

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies are seen as critical for reducing emissions from fossil-fired power plants and industrial operations. This track will explore the latest advancements in carbon capture technologies on the path to deployment, along with emission control strategies that mitigate the environmental impact of power generation. Sessions will also focus on regulatory frameworks, deployment challenges and innovations in emission monitoring and control systems.

Carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) adoption and deployment
CCUS financing
Pilot project case studies
Tax credits and incentives
Direct air capture
Regulatory issues
Emission rules for plants

Exploring Trends in Hydropower

This track encompasses the most critical aspects of hydropower today, including environmental stewardship, technological innovation and efficient operation. Explore how industry leaders are addressing evolving challenges, from climate change and dam safety to technological advancements and new developments in hydropower generation.

Topics include:

Climate change impacts
Fish passage and survival
Dam safety
Efficient water management
Innovations in turbines, generators, controls and civil infrastructure
Artificial intelligence and digitalization
New hydropower development
Pumped storage
O&M
Maintaining aging infrastructure
Financial and regulatory issues