Rapid growth in data center development — driven by AI and digital services — is reshaping electric load forecasts and raising concerns about affordability and system capacity, particularly for public power utilities serving rural areas. Examine findings from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory on how battery energy storage systems deployed alongside data centers can help manage peak demand, reduce potential cost shifts, and defer or avoid expensive transmission, distribution, or generation upgrades. Discuss use cases where BESS can provide grid benefits such as cost effective peak shaving and reliability, and how to evaluate storage alongside alternative capacity solutions.

Utilities invest significant effort in designing programs, yet often lack insight into which customers are ready to participate or what will help them sign up. Explore how utilities of all sizes are using AI to gain customer intelligence to move beyond broad promotion toward smarter, targeted outreach. Hear what utilities have learned from pilot programs using AI-based tools to better identify customers for heat pump, EV rate, demand response, and other programs. Review considerations for effectively leveraging AI for customer program adoption to help your utility do more with less.

Utility energy efficiency programs — such as incentives, rebates, and weatherization — remain critical tools for managing peak demand while also enhancing the overall customer experience. Explore how you can leverage data from AMI, GIS, and other sources to gain a clearer understanding of customer demand and key contributors to peak load. Learn what data-driven insights can help evaluate demand savings potential, improve program impact, and deliver greater value to both the utility and your community.

Last October, 11 public power utilities launched SmartHours, a program Vermont Public Power Supply Authority built with Bellawatt that gives customers an hourly price for home EV charging – letting EV drivers see tomorrow’s prices, manage their charging, and save. A year in, enrollment is modest, but those who joined have stayed engaged and do most of their charging off-peak, earning credits measured straight from the vehicle that go directly onto their monthly bill. The program strikes a rare balance for demand flexibility: full control for the customer, minimal effort to exercise it. What customers make of the experience is the part no dashboard can show. Join a fireside chat with public power peers on what participants did, what your customers would need to participate in a similar program, and what it takes for a small utility to turn customers into partners.

Nuclear energy is poised to be the backbone of an affordable, reliable, and clean energy system. Small modular nuclear reactors could be valuable assets for utilities to maintain grid reliability and support climate goals. Learn where this tested technology stands and what the utilities pursuing advanced nuclear projects have accomplished and what's on the horizon.

Dive right into the top-of-mind issues on energy innovation and adoption, including addressing resource and workforce constraints. Join this peer driven discussion to exchange experiences and strategies that can help your utility move forward in a realistic, sustainable way. Topics include how to turn data-rich information into actionable insights, balancing grid modernization goals with budget realities, and responding to regulatory mandates that may outpace organizational capabilities.

Explore how to keep employees engaged and motivated amid frequent change and burnout from the day-to-day difficulties of a customer service position. Review ideas for effectively translating directives from senior leaders to your frontline teams and similarly supporting a feedback loop from your team to utility leadership.

As customers continue to raise and face concerns on energy affordability, interactions between CSRs and customers over their monthly bills, or payment options when behind, can be increasingly stressful and strained. Walk through recent utility and ratepayer advocate case studies and discuss how to effectively and compassionately listen to customer challenges and work with them to manage bills and arrearages.

As customer expectations rise and utility call centers face increasing volume, artificial intelligence offers a practical path to faster, more accurate service. Get a peek into how public power utilities around the U.S. are leveraging AI-powered tools for functions including call routing, automated event categorization, and issue triage. Discuss where utilities are seeing success using these tools and how it can help reduce handle times, improve first-contact resolution, and free up staff to focus on complex customer needs. Review how to assess whether your utility is ready for AI and take away tips for implementation and adoption.

Explore how CPS Energy modernized its customer experience strategic indicators and learn about the utility’s journey to identify the true drivers of customer trust, as well as how to translate those insights into measurable improvements.