“APS’s VPP journey reflects a broader industry shift. VPPs are no longer just an idea. They are an essential component of the modern grid.”

“Today, much of the AI progress made within the nuclear sector is driven by applied research underway at EPRI. AI projects are being developed and tested in collaboration with EPRI and nuclear operators worldwide.”

One of the things I value most about SEPA is that our membership reflects the full complexity of the energy sector itself. SEPA operates differently because the challenges facing the sector no longer fit neatly within traditional boundaries.

Chicago was the place to be this May as the industry took over McCormick Place for the 2026 IEEE PES T&D Conference & Exposition. This show is where the global energy community gathers to discuss the practicalities of modernizing the grid.

“As early as the Jamestown, Virginia, settlement in 1607, drinking water was of paramount concern to our English ancestors. However, the only water considered in that site’s selection was a deep-water anchorage and not its drinking water source.”

“The Iberian Peninsula blackout is a case study the U.S. cannot ignore. Electricity markets with high IBR penetration and limited external interconnections, such as ERCOT and CAISO, are similar to the Iberian grid. The centralized regulatory and operating environment in the Southeast faces similar risks.”

“For the past six years, Ernst & Young LLP has surveyed global energy consumers across diverse markets. Consumers are stretched like never before. Energy vulnerability is rising, with 26 percent of respondents now in energy poverty.”

“They want to pay their fair share but run into issues when the Independent Market Monitor and PJM attribute a large amount of the increase in capacity market auction costs to data centers, but those costs are not necessarily being allocated to data centers.”

“Today, hydropower isn’t just about producing energy — it’s keeping the system reliable and responsive, and allowing us to use water more strategically as the grid becomes more dynamic. As demand continues to grow, that flexibility becomes even more valuable.”