Schedule
Conference Program Annual Meeting 2026
Sunday, September 13
- 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Alderbrook lobby
Conference registration
- 2:30 pm – 3:45 pm
Members only
NIPPC Annual Board Meeting
Members only.
- 4:00 pm – 4:15 pm
Conference opens
Welcome
Spencer Gray, Executive Director, NIPPC
- 4:15 pm – 5:15 pm
Opening Address and Armchair Discussion
Heather Rosentrater, President & CEO, Avista Corporation
- 5:15 pm – 7:00 pm
Opening Reception
Drinks sponsored by NextEra Energy Resources.
- 9:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Firepit marshmallow roast
Meet colleagues old and new on the Alderbrook waterfront
- 4:15 pm – 5:15 pm
Armchair Discussion
Opening informal conversation between featured guests and NIPPC’s Executive Director, Spencer Gray
- 5:15 pm – 7:00 pm
Opening Reception
Sponsored by NextEra Energy Resources.
- 9:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Firepit marshmallow roast
Meet colleagues old and new on the Alderbrook waterfront
Monday, September 14
- 7:45 am – 8:45 am
Continental breakfast
- 8:45 am – 9:40 am
Special Seminar
Transmission in Washington: Where We(TA) Go from Here.
K&L Gates energy and environmental attorneys will discuss key aspects of Washington’s new electric transmission system law that established the Washington Electric Transmission Authority (known as WETA) including next steps on implementation and potential uses moving forward.
Sponsor-led presentation.
- 9:40 am - 9:50 am
Break
- 9:50 am - 11:10 am
Panel 1
GPUs and You: Generative Load Growth
This panel will discuss the latest challenges and opportunities of data center load in the Northwest, particularly the needs of generative artificial intelligence in addition to cloud computing platforms.
- Stefan Bird, BrightNight Power
- Julien Dumoulin-Smith, Jefferies
- Roger Kline, Northern Wasco County PUD
- Emily Watt, Microsoft
Moderator: Robert Cromwell, Consultant
- 11:15 am – 11:45 am
NIPPC's 'TED Talks'
View from the Lab: Federal Geothermal Research, Development, and Partnerships
Presented by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)
- 11:50 am – 12:20 pm
NIPPC's 'TED Talks'
Hotter is Better: Geothermal at Scale
Presented by Quaise Energy
- 12:20 pm - 12:30 pm
Break
- 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
Olympic Terrace
Buffet Lunch
- 1:30 pm – 1:45 pm
Break
- 1:45 pm – 3:00 pm
Panel 2
The Day After Day-Aheads: Emerging Regional Initiatives
This panel will examine the launch of Western day-ahead markets this year, beginning with PacifiCorp in EDAM, and explore the next steps in regionalization, including resource adequacy and potential transmission reforms.
- Elaine Hart, Sylvan Energy Analytics
- Caitlin Liotiris, Energy Strategies
- Mike Wilding, PacifiCorp
Moderator: Letha Tawney, Oregon Public Utility Commission
- 3:05 pm - 4:20 pm
Panel 3
Lost in Transmission: Finding a Way
This panel will explore solutions to regional transmission shortages including new roles for states, BPA, and independent developers.
- Mike Miller, Bonneville Power Administration
- Heather Moline, Washington Department of Commerce
- Michael Skelly, Grid United
Moderator: Brian Rybarik, Washington Utilities & Transportation Commission
- 4:20 pm - 5:30 pm
Break
- 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Networking Social
Beer Garden Reception
- Hosted bar and appetizers.
- All guests invited.
- 6:45 pm – 8:30 pm
Banquet Program
Robert Kahn Lifetime Achievement Award Presentation
Recipient: Mark Smith
Banquet address
Travis Kavulla, Administrator, Bonneville Power Administration
- 8:30 pm – 10:30 pm
Sponsored
Evening Receptions
NIPPC’s unofficial after-parties, hosted by K&L Gates, and Wilson Sonsini, two of our sponsors.
Tuesday, September 15
- 7:30 am - 8:30 am
Full Buffet Breakfast
- 8:15 am – 9:00 am
Keynote Address
View from FERC
Judy Chang, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
- 9:00 am – 10:15 am
Panel 4
Time Matters: Good Ways to Go Faster
This panel will discuss ways to increase the speed to power or generation and load, including innovative utility procurement practices, transmission tariff reforms, and planning, siting, and permitting changes.
- Kurt Beckett, Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC)
- Ajay Pappu, Invenergy
- Irion Sanger, Sanger Greene
Moderator: Craig Gannett, Davis Wright Tremaine
- 10:15 am – 10:30 am
Closing Comments: NIPPC in 2026
- Spencer Gray, Executive Director, Northwest & Intermountain Power Producers Coalition
- 10:30 am
Conference Adjourns
Please note: Conference program may be subject to change. Correct as of September 1, 2026.