Save the date for the Western Chapter’s 2025 Annual Meeting! Topics for this program include Serving New Loads Quickly, Lookback on Important Recent FERC Orders, New Energy Agenda, and the Evolution of Clean Energy. Please note that we are still adding speakers to the agenda.

Wednesday, February 26
5:00 – 7:00 PM: Welcome Reception

Thursday, February 27
9:10 AM – 10:15 AM: The West’s Burgeoning Energy Demand – Timely Energizing Data Centers and Other High-Usage Loads  

The challenges and demands of energizing new load has never been as prominent as it is right now.  Each day across the western United States, energy providers and users alike struggle to ensure that critical load can be timely brought online and reliably served.  Join a discussion with data centers and the utilities being asked to provide them with power, as they discuss the unique nature of these ever increasing load demands, including interconnection and reliability challenges they present. 

10:45 AM – 12:00 PM: Power Plays – Innovations and Reforms in Western Transmission and Interconnection 

Across the western United States, constrained transmission systems and backlogged interconnection queues continue to pose significant challenges for integrating renewable energy projects, addressing capacity shortfalls, and maintaining grid reliability and resiliency. Despite these obstacles, recent reforms at both the regional and federal levels—led by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)—mark notable strides in innovation and improvement. This panel of experts will delve into the latest developments in transmission and interconnection policy, with a spotlight on FERC’s updated interconnection rules in Order Nos. 2023 and 2023-A and the transmission planning revisions introduced in Order No. 1920. The discussion will also explore the western region’s distinctive approach to implementing and adapting these reforms, as well as anticipated future directions in this dynamic landscape.

1:15 PM – 2:15 PM: How Will President Trump’s Energy Agenda Impact the West? 

This panel will explore the energy agenda for President Trump at the start of his second administration by delving into the administration’s priorities and strategies for the energy sector, examining key policies and initiatives that aim to shape America’s energy future with a key focus on policies and initiatives that will impact the West.  

2:30 PM – 3:30 PM: The Evolution of Clean Energy – Opportunities and
Challenges 

Join us for an insightful panel discussion on the evolution of clean energy in the Western United States, where we will delve into the exciting opportunities and formidable challenges shaping the region’s energy landscape. This session will explore cutting-edge technologies such as Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) and hydrogen, alongside other emerging innovations that promise to transform the energy sector. Our panelists will provide an overview of how these advancements are driving the transition to a sustainable future, addressing both the potential benefits and the hurdles that must be overcome to achieve widespread adoption. 

3:30 PM – 4:00 PM: Keynote Address: An Energy Vision for California and the Western States 

Thank you to our Sponsors!

WEBA 25 gold Sponsors

WEBA 25 Silver Sponsors (2)

WEBA 25 Bronze Sponsors

Hotel Information

EBA has a small room block at Hotel Nikko San Francisco for February 26 – February 28. To book your accommodations in our block ($209) please click here.