Grid Under Pressure: North America's Most Critical Energy Challenges

Transmission & Distribution Summit 2026
The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas  |  Dallas, TX, USA  |  November 5-6, 2026

North America's transmission and distribution sector is navigating a period of significant pressure. Electricity demand is rising faster than at any point in decades, driven by the rapid expansion of data centers and AI infrastructure, accelerating electrification across transportation and industry, and broader economic growth. At the same time, utilities are managing aging infrastructure, tightening capital constraints, evolving regulatory requirements, and increasing exposure to climate-related disruptions.

The Transmission & Distribution Summit 2026, hosted by Marcus Evans on November 5-6 at The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas, is designed to bring senior utility leaders together in a focused setting to address these challenges directly, through peer exchange, practical case studies, and exposure to relevant solutions.

The Industry Context

Several converging trends are reshaping the priorities of transmission and distribution leaders across North America:

• Rising Electricity Demand

U.S. electricity demand, which had remained relatively flat for nearly two decades, is now projected to grow significantly through the end of the decade. Data centers alone are expected to account for a substantial portion of new load growth, with AI-driven computing infrastructure placing concentrated and often unpredictable demand on local distribution networks. Utilities are being asked to plan and build for load growth scenarios that were not anticipated in existing infrastructure roadmaps.

• Transmission Expansion and Interconnection Backlogs

The national transmission interconnection queue has grown to record levels, with thousands of gigawatts of proposed generation waiting for grid access. FERC Order 1920, finalized in 2024, introduced long-term transmission planning requirements that are now being implemented across regional transmission organizations. Utilities and transmission owners are working through the practical and financial implications of these requirements while managing existing capital programs.

• Grid Resilience and Climate Risk

Extreme weather events continue to test the resilience of transmission and distribution infrastructure. From heat-driven peak demand events to storm-related outages, utilities are investing in hardening programs, advanced distribution management systems, and improved situational awareness tools to reduce the duration and frequency of service disruptions.

• Regulatory and Market Complexity

The regulatory environment for transmission and distribution is evolving rapidly. FERC rulemakings, state-level clean energy mandates, and interconnection reform are creating a complex operating environment that requires utilities to maintain close engagement with regulatory developments while continuing to deliver on operational commitments.

• How the Summit Addresses These Themes

The Transmission & Distribution Summit 2026 is structured specifically to address these priorities in a setting that encourages direct, candid dialogue among peers. Unlike large industry conferences, the Summit's invitation-only format limits participation to senior executives and carefully vetted solution providers, creating an environment where substantive conversations can take place without the noise of a broader trade event.

The program is built around the specific challenges identified through Marcus Evans' annual assessments of participating executives' strategic goals and operational needs. This means sessions are directly relevant to the decisions and pressures that attendees are managing in their organizations.

Key Themes

• Smart Grid Evolution: Driving digitalization and infrastructure upgrades to optimize grid performance and reliability

• Field Operational Excellence: Enhancing field efficiency, safety, and outage prevention through innovative tools and workflows

• Infrastructure for the Future: Expanding and modernizing energy infrastructure to meet long-term demand and operational challenges

• Data Center Demand: Addressing the surging energy needs of data centers while balancing grid reliability and decarbonization goals

• Regulatory Roadmaps: Navigating evolving regulatory requirements and market rules to enable compliant, successful operations

A Setting That Supports Productive Exchange

The Summit's format is designed to maximize the value of in-person interaction. Structured one-on-one meetings connect executives with solution providers whose offerings are aligned with their specific needs, while peer roundtables and networking sessions provide space for informal exchange between utility leaders facing similar challenges. The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas provides a professional and focused environment that supports the quality of engagement the Summit is designed to deliver.

See the full program of the upcoming Transmission & Distribution Summit . Apply here to request more details.