Series Overview
Two of the most talked-about sessions from APPA's National Conference are back online: US Energy Market Outlook and The Current State of Nuclear Energy. As the energy landscape rapidly evolves, this virtual encore series gives you another opportunity to hear from leading industry experts on the market forces, planning challenges, and emerging technologies shaping the future of energy. Whether you're catching up on a session you missed or diving deeper into a key topic, these webinars deliver valuable conference insights and practical perspectives in a convenient virtual format. Earn credits for attending live sessions!
Sign up for courses individually or together for a discounted, bundled rate:
- U.S. Energy Market Outlook | October 6
Explore the market trends, fuel forecasts, and load growth uncertainties shaping energy prices, reliability, and resource planning. - The Current State of Nuclear Energy | October 20
Examine the latest advances in nuclear technology and what they could mean for utility decarbonization and grid modernization.
Who Should Attend?
This series is designed for utility executives, strategic planners, energy resource professionals, engineers, operations leaders, and other public power professionals interested in the trends, technologies, and market developments shaping the future of the energy industry. It is also an excellent opportunity for anyone who was unable to attend these popular National Conference sessions in person.
Course Level/Prerequisites/Advance Preparation
Basic Level: No prerequisites; no advance preparation. All materials will be available at least 24 hours in advance of the class (through your APPA user portal) with access instructions, so you can download in advance to take notes.
Accreditation
Continuing education credits (CEUs and PHDs) will be provided for each course. See individual course pages for details.
Instructors
US Energy Market Outlook | October 6 | 2 - 3 pm ET
Michael Zenker is Managing Director at NextEra Energy Resources, where he leads fundamental research across power, natural gas, LNG, NGLs, oil, and related markets. He previously held senior energy research leadership roles at Barclays and Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA), and earlier led gas and power trading and system dispatch for Southern California Edison.
A recognized industry expert, Mike has authored and presented extensively on energy markets, testified before the U.S. Congress, FERC, and the California Public Utilities Commission, and has been featured across television, radio, print media, and industry publications. He holds a bachelor's degree in Nuclear Engineering and an MBA from the University of California and is a registered professional engineer in nuclear engineering.
The Current State of Nuclear Energy | October 20 | 2 - 3 pm ET
Marc Nichol is Executive Director of New Nuclear at the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), where he leads industry efforts to advance the business environment for new and advanced reactors. Since joining NEI in 2011, he has held a series of leadership roles focused on nuclear innovation and deployment.
With more than 25 years of industry experience, Marc works with utilities, technology developers, suppliers, policymakers, and regulators to align strategy, policy, and execution for the emerging nuclear sector. He is a leading industry strategist and has helped develop foundational frameworks supporting the growth of advanced nuclear technologies. Marc holds an MBA and a Master's degree in Nuclear Engineering.
Michele Sampson is Director of the Division of New and Renewed Licenses in the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Since joining the NRC in 2007, she has held several leadership roles across nuclear safety, security, and engineering.
Prior to the NRC, she worked for the Department of Transportation and USEC’s Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. Michele holds degrees from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and Murray State University and is an alumna of the NRC's SES Candidate Development Program.
Brian Smith is Chief Technology Officer for Nuclear Science and Technology at Idaho National Laboratory, where he leads strategy to accelerate the deployment of advanced nuclear reactors and fuel cycle technologies.
Prior to joining INL, Brian spent more than 20 years in senior leadership roles across the federal government, including serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Reactors at the U.S. Department of Energy, a Professional Staff Member on the House Appropriations Committee, and executive leadership positions with the National Nuclear Security Administration and Naval Reactors. He also contributed to efforts supporting modernization of the nation’s nuclear deterrent.
A retired U.S. Navy Commander, Brian served in both active and reserve assignments within the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program and other naval leadership roles. He holds a B.A. from the University of Central Florida and an M.S. from George Washington University.
Questions?
- Registration/Billing: Registration@PublicPower.org
- Schedule/Content/Accreditation: Academy@PublicPower.org
Registration
Registration Fees
Registration is for individual access. If you have multiple people interested in attending, group discounts are available.
| Members* | |
Bundled Series (Save $50) Includes both courses. | $250 |
| Individual Courses | |
| $150 |
| $150 |
| *Non-member rates are double the member rates. | |
Group Discounts
Save money when your organization registers five or more people for the same class or the bundled series. The larger your group, the more you save!
Registrations must be submitted on the same order (at the same time) to qualify for the group discount; discounts cannot be retroactively applied to previous orders.
If you need assistance, contact Registration@PublicPower.org.
| Number of Registrants | Discount (per person) |
| 1-4 | n/a |
| 5-9 | $25 |
| 10+ | $50 |
Registration Help
Check out our Registration FAQ for answers to the most common questions and help with all your registration-related issues.
Cancellations /No-Show/ Refunds/ Substitutions
The Current State of Nuclear Energy session will be recorded and attendees will automatically receive a copy of the recording, in case you can’t attend live. The US Energy Market Outlook session is closed to the press and will NOT be recorded.
Registrants who cancel in writing at least 7 days in advance of the first webinar in the series are entitled to a refund of their registration fee, minus a $100 cancellation fee. Registrants who cancel after that will not receive a refund, but attendee substitutions will be allowed for this event only. Registrants and no-shows who do not cancel at least 7 days before the session start date are responsible for the full registration fee and are not entitled to a refund.
Cancellation deadlines:
- 2026 National Conference Virtual Encore Presentations Bundle (both sessions): Cancellations must be received on/before September 29, 2026
- US Energy Market Outlook: Cancellations must be received on/before September 29, 2026
The Current State of Nuclear Energy: Cancellations must be received on/before October 13, 2026
Cancellation requests should be made through your My.PublicPower portal, or addressed to: Registration@PublicPower.org
Accreditation & Event Policies
Learn more about APPA’s Accreditation and Event Policies or contact APPA’s Education Team with questions Academy@PublicPower.org.
Code of Conduct
All who register to participate, attend, speak at, or exhibit at an APPA Event, and all participants in APPA committees, work groups, courses, or other APPA groups, must agree to comply with this Code of Conduct (review and acceptance of the Code is included in the registration process).
Questions?
- Registration/Billing: Registration@PublicPower.org
- Schedule/Content/Accreditation: Academy@PublicPower.org
Accreditation
Earn While You Learn!
Participate in live virtual programs to earn IACET Continuing Education Units (CEUs), Professional Development Hours (PDHs) and NASBA Continuing Professional Education credits (CPEs). Participate in live virtual programs to earn IACET Continuing Education Units (CEUs), Professional Development Hours (PDHs) and NASBA Continuing Professional Education credits (CPEs)—credit availability, completion requirements, and number of credits vary by course and are confirmed with attendees upon registration and before and during a course.
Learn more about APPA’s Accreditation and Event Policies here.
Requirements for Successful Completion: Virtual
Registration is for individual access, so each person participating must register. If you have multiple people interested in attending, group discounts are available. To receive continuing education credits for live learning events, attendees must meet the requirements for successful completion which include:
- Attendance: Individuals must attend at least 90% of all live sessions (based on electronic timestamps in Zoom).
- Active participation: Engage in learning event activities (tracked electronically).
- Activities vary by class: Active participation in class may include engagement activities such as: Zoom polling/check-in questions, reactions and chat box contributions, and knowledge-check quizzes (all tracked electronically). There may also be small group breakout sessions, in-class exercises, and Q&A sessions.
- Information on participation requirements will be provided at least 24 hours before (and at the beginning of) class.
- Activities vary by class: Active participation in class may include engagement activities such as: Zoom polling/check-in questions, reactions and chat box contributions, and knowledge-check quizzes (all tracked electronically). There may also be small group breakout sessions, in-class exercises, and Q&A sessions.
- Online evaluation: Each person must complete an online evaluation after the course concludes (tracked electronically).
Important Notes
- Individual Registration: Each participant must register separately and will receive a unique Zoom login link. Attendees should join from their own computer to fully participate in discussions and exercises. Individual Zoom login links will be sent 24 hours before the course. Group discounts are available for multiple attendees.
- No Partial Credit: Credit cannot be awarded for partial attendance.
- Completion Certificates: Certificates will be available within two weeks of course completion via your APPA user portal (instructions provided) for those who meet the criteria for successful completion.
- Session Recordings: All virtual sessions are recorded (unless otherwise noted). Attendees will receive access within one week of the final session. Recordings remain available for 90 days, but continuing education credits require live attendance.
Guidelines for Group Participation in Virtual Events
- Individual Logins Recommended: If a group joins from a conference room, each participant should log in individually from a laptop to meet attendance and participation requirements.
- If Individual Logins Are Not Possible:
- Designate one point of contact for the group.
- Email Academy@PublicPower.org before the event with:
- Name of the person responsible for tracking attendance and participation (APPA can provide a sample tracker).
- Submit the completed attendance record to APPA within 2 business days after the event.
- Ensure each participant completes the required online evaluation.
What educational credits are available?
You can earn the following kinds of continuing education credits for attending live sessions — provided the Requirements for Successful Completion noted above are met:
Continuing Education Units (CEUs): The American Public Power Association is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training. For information regarding certification status, attendance requirements and obtaining attendee transcripts, contact Academy@PublicPower.org. Verify our IACET Accreditation.
Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Credits: The American Public Power Association is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as clarification of requirements, complaints, and refunds, please contact Academy@PublicPower.org. Professional Development Hours (PDHs): The American Public Power Association’s educational practices are consistent with the criteria for awarding Professional Development Hours (PDHs) as established by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). Course eligibility and number of PDHs may vary by state.
Professional Development Hours (PDHs): The American Public Power Association’s educational practices are consistent with the criteria for awarding Professional Development Hours (PDHs) as established by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). Course eligibility and number of PDHs may vary by state.
Contact Us
- Registration/Billing:Registration@PublicPower.org
- Program/Content/Accreditation:Academy@PublicPower.org
Additional Information
Format and Log-In Information
These webinars will be offered on the Zoom meeting platform.
Communication
- 24 hours after registering: You’ll receive a confirmation email within 24 hours of registering, which contains some preliminary information.
- 24 hours before: You’ll receive your Zoom log in link the day before the first session in a course (sent from the APPA Academy’s Zoom account <no-reply@zoom.us>)
- You’ll also receive a final logistics email 24 hours in advance of the first class.
- If you don’t receive this correspondence, email Academy@PublicPower.org
Course Access and Materials
- Zoom Links: Zoom log in credentials will be sent out 24 hours before the start of the first session.
- Course Materials: Attendees will receive access to course materials the day before each session through the "Documents" section of their My.PublicPower.org user portal.
- Recordings: The Current State of Nuclear Energy session will be recorded and can be accessed through your user portal as well, in case you can’t attend the live version. The recording will be accessible for 90 days. Note: The US Energy Market Outlook session is closed to the press and will NOT be recorded.
- Continuing education credits can only be issued for attending live sessions.
Technology Requirements
- Computer: Each attendee needs to work from their own computer to fully participate in the discussions and exercises.
- Contact Academy@PublicPower.org if you are participating as a group in a conference room
- Zoom Meeting Application: Attendees are required to have strong Internet access, in order to run the Zoom meeting platform. Please see below for more information on downloading the Zoom Web Client.
- Audio/Webcam: You will need to enable computer audio to listen and speak (alternatively a call-in number will be provided) and you will also need a webcam, so you can fully engage in the small group breakout sessions and group discussions.
New to Zoom?
If you haven't participated in a Zoom meeting before, please download the Zoom web client from the Zoom Download Center. This will enable you to access all of the Zoom tools and functionality vs. using the web version. Then, visit Zoom.us/test to ensure you are able to join a meeting.
If you are not able to download the Zoom web client, you can still participate via your Internet browser. We recommend using Chrome for the best results.
Privacy and Security
The American Public Power Association takes your privacy and security very seriously. For this reason, we have put the following security measures in place for this course:
- Each course has a random Meeting ID
- Meeting is password-protected
- Enabled waiting room to screen meeting participants
- Screen sharing restricted to hosts only
Questions?
- Registration/Billing: Registration@PublicPower.org
- Schedule/Content/Accreditation: Academy@PublicPower.org
