February 27-28, 2026
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

The Austin Electricity Conference (AEC) is an invitation-only conference uniting academics and energy professionals to discuss current electricity industry matters. The format encourages open dialogue through concise panel presentations, ample plenary discussions, and adherence to Chatham House Rules.

In an industry shaped by volatility and change, the past year has seen the emergence of powerful forces both accelerating and hindering the electricity market transformation.  These include reduced federal support for technology deployment, tariff uncertainties for electricity infrastructure development, a multiyear gas turbine order backlog, growing local opposition to projects, rapidly rising electricity demand, and a suite of advanced software and hardware technologies to better participate in, organize, and operate electricity markets. AEC26 will examine the implications of these recent shifts in technology, market, and policy conditions. The objective is to distill insights on how these dynamics are reshaping investment decisions, technology adoption, and the pace of change in the electricity markets — and to identify strategies for navigating this evolving landscape.

Panels:

The Reorientation of Federal Policies & Programs
Local Opposition to Energy Infrastructure
The Impacts of Rising Demand, AI & Data Centers
The Renewed Importance of Gas Generation & Supplies

Organizers:

David E. Adelman
Ross Baldick
Varun Rai
David B. Spence