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Alltricity Network Report
From The Desk of Ken Wilmot (Alltricity Network Executive Director) 💫 Thank you for making the 2026 Spring Conference a success! A sincere thank you to everyone who helped make the 2026 Alltricity Network Spring Conference in Omaha such a memorable experience. From our attendees, speakers, and moderators to our tabletop sponsors, the Alltricity Network Board of Directors—your time, expertise, and energy brought this event to life. It was so impactful connecting with peers, exchanging real-world insights, exploring timely educational content, and leaning into thoughtful, open conversations during our roundtable discussions. The collaboration and candor throughout the conference truly elevated the experience. A few moments worth highlighting included:
🎉 Congratulations, 2026 Alltricity Network Emerging Leader Award recipients! Alltricity Network was pleased to honor ten very deserving professionals with the 2026 Emerging Leader Award at this year’s Spring Conference. Learn more about each of these individuals and their impactful contributions to their organizations and the electric utility industry:
The Alltricity Network Emerging Leader Award recognizes individual members with 5 to 10 years of industry experience who have made significant contributions within their organizations and demonstrated strong leadership potential and outstanding service to the electric utility industry. 🏆 Alltricity Network is now accepting 2027 Emerging Leader Award nominations! 🗓️ Nomination deadline: January 29, 2027 Supervisors, mentors, or colleagues are encouraged to nominate a candidate from their organization—whether they manage others or are individual contributors—for the 2027 Emerging Leader Award. 📣 Registration is now open for the 2026 Alltricity Fall Convention! 📅 October 5-7, 2026 Don’t miss Alltricity Network’s premier leadership event! We’re excited to welcome you and your electric utility leadership peers for high-impact conversations on today’s top utility challenges—set in a relaxed, engaging environment. What to Expect:
🎤 Keynote speakers announced!
Additional exciting program details will be announced soon, and you can expect a solid lineup that will also include the popular CEO Panel, Alltricity Scholarship Foundation Auction, plentiful networking opportunities, and more. We look forward to seeing you there! 🧰 Alltricity Network: A resource for you We’re here to support you and your organization with timely, relevant educational and networking opportunities. We encourage you to share our development opportunities with your peers, workgroups, and professional network! Our Education Committees—comprised of dedicated members—work hard to provide thoughtfully curated educational and relationship-building events in the areas of Safety, Transmission, Distribution, Generation, Vital Issues and NextGen. Have a topic or presentation idea for a conference or workshop? Feel free to contact us anytime!
Education and Upcoming Events
Summer 2026 Alltricity Scholarship Foundation Golf Tournament — June 23, 2026 (Littleton, CO) 2026 Transmission, Substation & Power Delivery Projects Conference — June 24, 2026 (Westminster, CO) 2026 Alltricity Network Fall Convention — October 5-7, 2026 (San Antonio, TX) 
Alltricity Network Member Information
The association's trusted network is accessible on LinkedIn. Working side-by-side in a cooperative manner, Alltricity Network members band together for the common goal of bettering the industry and improving service for utility customers. For more than 120 years, these key principles have proven successful and, more importantly, are tried-and-true methods for building strong business relationships.
Alltricity Network Champions is a prestigious group of Alltricity Network supporters with access to useful and beneficial promotional opportunities. Thank you, 2026 Alltricity Network Champions!
Industry Information
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to $11.3 million in federal funding available to institutions of higher education, including up to $2.3 million exclusively for Tribal Colleges and Universities, to train the next generation of America’s energy workforce. The Partnerships for Academic-Industry Career Training (PACT) Initiative will facilitate the development of hands-on training and credentialing programs in skillsets supporting the production of natural gas, oil, coal, and geothermal energy by establishing regional academic-industry consortia.
A decade ago, wind power was surging in popularity and attracting huge investments that made Texas a national leader in renewable energy. But today, gas generation is making a big comeback, driven by a wave of data centers flooding into the state. For the last six months, the volume of gas generation in the Texas grid’s interconnection queue—the years-long waiting list for electric generators wanting to connect to the grid—has surpassed wind.
For years, global LNG markets operated under a fairly comfortable assumption. Qatar would remain a stable supplier, the Middle East would continue functioning as the center of global LNG trade, and buyers in Europe and Asia could rely on long-term contracts to keep gas flowing. That assumption is now under pressure.
Utility-scale solar generation has been increasing steadily in ERCOT as solar capacity additions help meet rapid electricity demand growth. Although natural gas remains the dominant source of electricity generation in ERCOT, accounting for an average 44% of electricity generation from 2021 to 2025, solar’s share of the generation mix has increased from 4% to 12% in those years, while coal’s share has decreased from 19% to 13%.
Member Announcements
Salt River Project (SRP) announced an agreement with NextEra Energy Resources to develop 3,000 megawatts (MW) of new solar generation by the end of 2034, or enough capacity to power 595,000 Arizona homes. The solar development agreement will support SRP’s plan to more than double the capacity of its power system by 2035 while maintaining reliability and affordability and making continued progress toward its sustainability goals.
Basin Electric has earned a spot among the 2026 top 10 workplaces in Bismarck and Mandan, North Dakota, as recognized by the Young Professionals Network. To be considered for the award, employers must actively hire young professionals and implement strategies that support their growth and advancement in the workplace. Companies are also evaluated on the quality and range of benefits they provide.
Evergy, Inc. celebrated the start of construction on a new 710-megawatt (MW) combined-cycle natural gas plant in Sumner County, Kan. The company also announced the plant, which is expected to begin operating in 2029, will be named Chisholm Trail Energy Center. State lawmakers, Sumner County officials, and Evergy leadership attended the official groundbreaking.
White Paper
Scientists have developed a fuel cell that uses microbes in soil to produce electricity. The device can power underground sensors for tasks like monitoring moisture or detecting touch without needing batteries or solar panels. It works in both dry and wet conditions and even lasts longer than similar technologies. This could pave the way for sustainable, low-maintenance sensors in farming and environmental monitoring.
Scientists are using sunlight to turn plastic waste into clean fuels like hydrogen, offering a breakthrough solution to both pollution and energy challenges. While still in development, the approach could transform trash into a valuable resource for a low-carbon future.
Cumberland, B.C., is reimagining its coal mining past as a clean energy opportunity. Water trapped in abandoned mine tunnels could be used in a geothermal system to heat and cool buildings efficiently and with minimal emissions. The project could lower energy costs, support new development, and attract businesses. It’s a striking example of turning industrial leftovers into a sustainable community asset.
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