| Electricity demand is rising faster than it has in decades, fueled by data centers, electrification, manufacturing and population growth. This surge is straining existing generation capacity, grid infrastructure and long-term resource planning. Utilities, grid operators and policymakers are rethinking forecasting methods and are working to accelerate project development timelines. At POWERGEN, sessions on load growth will explore its root causes and the technologies, market mechanisms and policies being deployed to ensure reliable supply in the face of accelerating demand.
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Featured Content

Keynote
The New (Grid) Balancing Act
Jan 20, 2026 | 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM | Exhibit Hall - Hall 1
In this Keynote, executive leadership from ERCOT, PJM and SPP will share how their regions are responding to these challenges: Implementing market reforms, rethinking capacity accreditation and rebalancing risk across market players. The panel will explore what these changes mean for utilities and IPPs seeking to stay competitive and reliable in a grid under strain.
View all Load Growth Educational Opportunities
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01:00 PM
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Exhibit Hall - Hall 160 minsAll badge holders are eligible to attend. With explosive load growth projected from data centers, manufacturing and electrification, grid operators are warning of looming capacity shortfalls. At the s …
03:15 PM
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304C60 minsThe power sector is facing a radically different landscape than it was just a year ago. On the supply side, the once-standard “solar plus storage” strategy looks far less certain, while on the demand …
08:15 AM
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Exhibit Hall - Hall 160 minsAll badge holders are eligible to attend. As artificial intelligence and data centers reshape the energy landscape, power providers are racing to meet soaring electricity demand with speed, reliabilit …
11:30 AM
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303B45 minsData centers are expanding at breakneck speed, pushing the limits of grid capacity and raising the stakes for reliable, sustainable and cost-effective power. Beyond securing enough megawatts, operator …Chairperson
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301B45 mins2025 was a year of change. With a new President, regulatory repeals and reconsiderations affecting the power sector swiftly dropped, while courts put many Biden-era challenges on hold. The year closed …
01:30 PM
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302A45 minsNatural gas turbines generate more than 40% of U.S. electricity, yet much of the installed fleet is aging and faces increasing pressure from load growth, renewable integration and market volatility. W …
02:15 PM
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Exhibit Hall Booth 173560 minsGrowing load is straining electric grid resources, impacting grid stability and threatening blackouts. Backup generators at data centers could be dispatched during generation shortfalls, but current E …
02:30 PM
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302A60 minsAfter nearly two decades of flat demand, U.S. electricity consumption is now skyrocketing. Utilities, IPPs and grid operators are under pressure to deliver capacity quickly while balancing affordabili …
11:30 AM
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303A45 minsAs electricity demand surges from data centers and other large energy users, the need for reliable, low-emission onsite power is growing. Solid oxide fuel cells are emerging as a practical solution, o …Chairperson
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302A60 minsThe U.S. power sector is in a new era: after decades of flat demand, electricity consumption is now surging, driven by artificial intelligence data centers, large-scale electrification and high-tech m …


