Center Stage

Attend high-level, elevated conversations featuring executives and thought leaders about prominent issues affecting the power generation sector. Center Stage is located inside the POWERGEN exhibit hall, capturing the added buzz of the show floor.

2026 SESSION SCHEDULE

Loading

Center Stage

Strategic Shifts in the Global Power Industry
Exhibit Hall Booth 1735

11:00 AM 12:00 PM
( Your local time: - )
This session provides a high-level view of global power generation projects expected to begin construction between 2026 and 2028. Using Industrial Info Resources project data, the presentation examine …

Speakers

Britt Burt, Senior VP Research Power Industry - Industrial Info Resources
Next-Gen Connected Utility Operations: Connected Field Workforce with Smart Assets
Exhibit Hall Booth 1735

03:30 PM 04:30 PM
( Your local time: - )
Utilities and grid operators are using digital tools to better connect field crews with generation and transmission assets. This session looks at how AI, IoT and real-time analytics are improving insp …
Weatherization’s Effectiveness: Sustaining Grid Resilience in Texas
Exhibit Hall Booth 1735

02:15 PM 03:15 PM
( Your local time: - )
This panel will showcase the clear, quantifiable success of the Texas power grid's weatherization efforts. We will move beyond the past crisis to highlight the proven effectiveness of the new prepared …

Speakers

Wesley Maurer, Vice President, Regulatory and Market Compliance - LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY

Kyle Wallis, Sr. Manager of Engineering, WA Parish Generating Station - NRG

Jake Jacobs, Lead Weatherization Inspector - ERCOT
Dispatching Backup Generators at Data Centers to Protect Electric Grid Reliability
Exhibit Hall Booth 1735

02:15 PM 03:15 PM
( Your local time: - )
Growing 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 …

Speakers

Michael Sanford, Senior Sales Application Engineer - Cummins, Inc.

"This is my first year at POWERGEN and so far I can just say, wow, this event is huge. I never thought I would have access to so many different vendors and so many different experts in the energy industry by coming to an event like this."

Caitlyn Watkins

Cleco

"It's my first time at POWERGEN. I'm having a great time walking around and seeing all of the booths in the exhibit hall and everything that everybody's trying to sell me, as well as a lot of very useful technical presentations. My particular favorite has been the carbon capture track, but they've all been good that I've attended so far."

Janelle Dana

Entergy

"Hi, I’m Chad Lemoine with Entergy... here as a corrective actions program specialist. It’s my first time at POWERGEN, so it’s been great for networking. I’ve met personnel at our plants I’d only talked to on the phone, so that face-to-face interaction has been really good. I’ve enjoyed meeting new people, learning about what they do, and how it interacts with my work... Overall, it's been a really good time."

Chad Lemoine

Entergy

"I think my favorite part of the conference has been essentially the Smarter Power Plant Track. There's been a lot of good [takeaways] for us because our plans are quite old, so there's a lot of manual readings and things, but me being the IT generation, I think it could be done better. So having a lot of these [takeaways] from companies who have [accomplished what] we are wanting to do is great. It's been really eye opening networking with all of the exhibitors [as well]. It's my first time here, but I don’t think it's going to be my last."

Jonathan Hellborg

Svensk Kraftreserv

“Nel’s chosen to sponsor and be part of POWERGEN because it's one of the more important shows in the hydrogen market, also the power generation market in general. Over the years, we've seen a shift in POWERGEN from more traditional power generation to a greater presence with renewables, and now with hydrogen, as an energy source, moving into the future.”

Chris Van Name

Nel Hydrogen

“We're here today at the conference because I believe this is the largest power generation conference there is in the country. One, it's a way to get our name out and that's why we're sponsoring it. But two, it's also a great way to connect with other groups, other organizations and, you know, meet the people who are actually important for our own progression as a company.”

James Walker

Nano Nuclear Energy, Inc

“We come to POWERGEN every year because it's a great show you can make great contacts in the renewable space, great contacts in the data center space, great contacts in the commercial industrial space. So that's why we're here every year. You should be here too.”

David D’Escoto

Maddox Industrial Transformer