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Disaster Preparedness for Utilities Conference

Enhancing Resilience & Mitigation Strategies

November 12 - 13, 2025 San Antonio, TX Norris Conference Centers / Red Oak Ballroom

As the frequency and severity of natural disasters continue to rise, utilities must move beyond traditional preparedness and embrace a new era of resilience. This conference brings together utility leaders, regulators, and technology providers to explore practical, high-impact strategies for confronting today’s most pressing threats—including wildfires, hurricanes, flooding, ice storms, and extreme heat and cold.

Attendees will gain actionable insights on hardening infrastructure, leveraging AI and satellite data for real-time risk forecasting, and implementing data-driven vegetation management. Regulatory panels will provide clarity on evolving compliance expectations, investment incentives, and resilience funding strategies. Focused breakout sessions will offer deep dives into disaster-specific challenges, while case studies from across the country reveal what’s working on the ground.

From workforce training and PSPS communication to smart grid innovations and emergency response coordination, this event equips utility professionals with the tools, technologies, and strategies needed to anticipate, adapt, and lead in an era of disruption. Register today to secure your spot and take the first step toward building a disaster-ready utility.

Learning Outcomes

  • Identify climate-related threats and evaluate strategies that enhance utility resilience.
  • Examine regulatory expectations and policy trends shaping utility disaster preparedness.
  • Apply infrastructure hardening approaches to minimize damage from natural disasters.
  • Integrate advanced vegetation management tools and practices into regulatory-compliant wildfire mitigation plans.
  • Analyze infrastructure and training solutions to strengthen operations during extreme cold events.
  • Implement protective strategies that improve asset resilience and restoration in storm-prone areas.
  • Deploy wildfire mitigation measures aligned with environmental conditions and regulatory frameworks.
  • Evaluate risk modeling tools and technologies to improve proactive disaster planning.
  • Prioritize resilience investments by comparing mitigation benefits with potential recovery costs.
  • Strengthen operational readiness through targeted training, coordinated response, and resource mobilization.
  • Apply digital tools—such as AI, IoT, and smart grid systems—to enhance situational awareness and recovery.
  • Improve decision-making and community engagement during PSPS events and emergency situations.

Register

REGISTER NOW FOR THIS EVENT:

This event has passed and cannot be registered for. If you would like to see if this event will be offered again please reach out to [email protected]

Your registration may be transferred to a member of your organization up to 24 hours in advance of the event. Cancellations must be received on or before October 10, 2025 in order to be refunded and will be subject to a US $195.00 processing fee per registrant. No refunds will be made after this date. Cancellations received after this date will create a credit of the tuition (less processing fee) good toward any other EUCI event. This credit will be good for six months from the cancellation date. In the event of non-attendance, all registration fees will be forfeited. In case of conference cancellation, EUCIs liability is limited to refund of the event registration fee only. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as complaints and refunds, please contact our offices at 303-770-8800

Day one

Wednesday, November 12, 2025

Day two

Thursday, November 13, 2025

Agenda

Wednesday, November 12, 2025

San Antonio, TX

Registration & Continental Breakfast

8:30 AM

Group Lunch

11:45 AM - 12:45 PM

Adjourn for the day

6:00 PM

8:30 AM - 9:00 AM

Registration & Continental Breakfast

9:00 - 9:30 AM

Keynote: Confronting the Crisis – Building a Disaster-Ready Utility

In an era of escalating climate-related disasters, utilities must move beyond basic preparedness to develop proactive resilience strategies. This session will explore most pressing issues utilities face today—including wildfire prevention, flooding, seismic readiness, and extreme weather events.

Jose Treviño VP of Construction & Maintenance Services CPS Energy

9:30 - 10:30 AM

Hardening Infrastructure Against Natural Disasters

  • Strengthening power lines, substations, and control centers
  • Undergrounding vs. grid modernization for resilience
  • Best practices for preventing cascading failures

Senior Representative CPS Energy

10:30 - 11:00 AM

Networking Break

11:00 - 11:45 AM

Vegetation Management for Disaster Prevention & Regulatory Compliance

  • Risk-based prioritization and data-driven inspection cycles
  • Using satellite imagery, LiDAR, and drones for monitoring
  • Aligning vegetation programs with state wildfire mitigation plans
  • Workforce and contractor management for large-scale VM programs

Lori Lopez Director of Technical Services Distribution & Vegetation Management Lead CPS Energy

11:45 AM - 12:45 PM

Group Lunch

12:45 - 2:15 PM

Tactical Approaches for Distinct Disaster Types

Ice Storms, Snow, and Extreme Cold

  • Design strategies to reduce infrastructure freezing and collapse
  • Utility-specific training and preparedness plans for extreme conditions
  • Case Study: The 2021 Texas Winter Storm—What’s Changed?

Hurricanes, Planning, Logistics, and Response

  • Planning & Logistics for a Hurricane
  • What is Success for Restoration
  • Case Study: Hurricane Helene

Wildfires, High Winds, and Lightning

  • Mitigation best practices, inspections, and regulatory alignment
  • Covered conductor programs and system sectionalization
  • Case Study: How California utilities are deploying layered wildfire defense strategies

Mark Henry Chief Engineer & Director of Reliability Outreach Texas Reliability Entity

Sam Spilman Logistics Section Chief, Director Project Management PGO Duke Energy

Rituraj Yadav Associate Manager, Wildfire Mitigation LS POWER

2:15 - 2:45 PM

Networking Break

2:45 - 3:45 PM

Process Overview: A Utility Emergency Management Risk Assessment Process

A guided tour of the risk assessment activities at the heart of the U.S. Tennessee Valley Authority’s end-to-end process for organizational emergency planning. Covers TVA’s approach to essential function validation, business process analysis, and business impact analysis. TVA’s process reflects best practices drawn from NFPA-1600, the ANSI/EMAP 5-2022 Emergency Management Standard, the FEMA National Continuity Program, operational experience, and other industry-leading sources.

Matthew Stuart Sinn Manager of Emergency Management TVA

3:45 - 4:15 PM

The Cost of Risk Mitigation – Balancing Investment & Impact

  • Evaluating the financial impact of resilience measures versus disaster recovery costs
  • How utilities can prioritize investments in risk mitigation within budget constraints
  • The role of insurance, federal funding, and rate adjustments in covering resilience costs

Mike Grable VP & Chief Sustainability, Compliance, & Risk Officer Oncor

4:15 - 5:00 PM

Decoding the "1-100 Year Event" – How AI and Advanced Risk Modeling are Reshaping Utility Resilience

As extreme weather events—from unprecedented wildfires and intense wind to catastrophic floods and debilitating ice storms—continue to challenge grid reliability, electric utilities can no longer rely on static, traditional planning methods. The need for a proactive, all-hazards strategy has never been more urgent. This session will explore leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and advanced predictive modeling to transform utility operations and strategic investment decisions. CenterPoint Energy’s Don Daigler and Technosylva’s Steve Vanderburg will demystify the commonly cited "1-100 year event" and illustrate how utilities are moving from reactive, after-the-fact analysis to data-driven, circuit-level predictions.

Don Daigler Senior VP, Emergency Preparedness & Response CenterPoint Energy

Steve Vanderburg Vice President for Weather and Risk Technosylva

5:00 - 6:00 PM

Networking Reception

Agenda

Thursday, November 13, 2025

San Antonio, TX

Continental Breakfast

8:30 AM

Adjourn for the day

12:00 PM

8:30 AM - 9:00 AM

Continental Breakfast

9:00 - 9:05 AM

Opening Remarks

9:05 - 10:00 AM

Meeting Expectations for Disaster Preparedness

  • Updates on federal, state, and local regulations
  • Incentives for utilities investing in resilience measures
  • How policymakers are addressing rising disaster risks

State and federal regulators discuss current standards, pending mandates, and what they expect from utilities in the face of rising natural hazards.

Mark Henry Chief Engineer & Director of Reliability Outreach Texas Reliability Entity

Elliott Nethercutt Energy Economist and Regulatory Policy Specialist

Caroline Thomas-Jacobs Director, Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety State of California

10:00 - 10:45 AM

Utility Workforce Preparedness & Emergency Response Training

This session will highlight how utilities can strengthen internal capacity for disaster response through consistent training, operational planning, and clear communication structures. Real-world examples will showcase what worked—and what didn’t—during past emergencies.

  • Developing internal disaster playbooks and cross-department coordination
  • Field crew readiness: training, staging, and rapid deployment strategies
  • Mutual assistance networks and contractor partnerships during emergencies
  • Building organizational resilience through tabletop exercises and real-world drills

Don Daigler Senior VP, Emergency Preparedness & Response CenterPoint Energy

10:45 - 11:15 AM

Networking Break

11.15 AM - 12:00 PM

Public Safety Power Shutoffs & Emergency Communication

  • Decision-making processes for PSPS events
  • Balancing risk mitigation with customer impact
  • Improving real-time communication with the public
  • Partnering with local communities for disaster preparedness
  • Enhancing customer education on emergency readiness

Paul McGregor Vice President, Wildfire Risk Management Xcel Energy

Speakers

Don Daigler

Senior VP, Emergency Preparedness & Response
CenterPoint Energy

Mike Grable

VP & Chief Sustainability, Compliance, & Risk Officer
Oncor

Mark Henry

Chief Engineer & Director of Reliability Outreach
Texas Reliability Entity

Matthew Khaled

Emergency Preparedness Manager
PSE&G

Lori Lopez

Director of Technical Services Distribution & Vegetation Management Lead
CPS Energy

Paul McGregor

Vice President, Wildfire Risk Management
Xcel Energy

Nick Myers

Commissioner
Arizona Corporation Commission

Elliott Nethercutt

Energy Economist and Regulatory Policy Specialist

Eric Skrmetta

Commissioner
Louisiana Public Service Commission

Sam Spilman

Logistics Section Chief, Director Project Management PGO
Duke Energy

Matthew Stuart Sinn

Manager of Emergency Management
TVA

Caroline Thomas-Jacobs

Director, Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety
State of California

Steve Vanderburg

Vice President for Weather and Risk
Technosylva

Rituraj Yadav

Associate Manager, Wildfire Mitigation
LS POWER

Senior Representative

NiSource

Call For Speakers

If you want to be considered for one of our open speaking slots please contact Keith Clark at [email protected] or Dana Waldrop at [email protected]

Location

Norris Conference Centers / Red Oak Ballroom
618 NW Loop 410, Suite 207
San Antonio, TX 78216

Nearby Hotels/Airports

Continuing Education Credits

IACET

AP_Logo

EUCI is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training.

EUCI is authorized by IACET to offer 0.9 CEUs for this event

Verify our IACET accreditation

 

Who recognizes IACET Credits?

 

Requirements for Successful Completion of Program

Participants must sign in/out each day and be in attendance for the entirety of the conference to be eligible for continuing education credit.

 

Instructional Methods

Panel discussions, Power Point Presentations, Case studies, and audience Q&A sessions will be utilized throughout the program.

CPE

Upon successful completion of this event, program participants interested in receiving CPE credits will receive a certificate of completion.

Conference CPE Credits: 10.0
There is no prerequisite for this conference.
Program field of study: Specialized Knowledge
Program Level: Basic
Delivery Method: Group Internet Based
Advanced Preparation: None

CpeEUCI is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org

CLE

Only registered attendees can request CLE credits for an EUCI course/event. Please email [email protected] prior to the course start date and list the state where you are licensed and your bar# as well as the name and date of your course/event in your request, and someone will be in contact.

Who Should Attend

  1. Regulatory Affairs and Compliance Managers
    • Professionals responsible for navigating and ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local disaster preparedness regulations.
  2. Utility Risk Management and Resilience Planners
    • Experts developing risk mitigation strategies and resilience plans for utilities in the face of extreme weather events.
  3. Utility Operations and Field Services Teams
    • Engineers, planners, and technicians involved in infrastructure hardening, restoration, and emergency response.
  4. Emergency Response Coordinators
    • Individuals managing utility emergency operations and coordination with external response agencies.
  5. Technology Providers and Smart Grid Innovators
    • Vendors and solutions providers focused on disaster resilience tools, AI-powered forecasting, predictive modeling, and grid modernization.
  6. Vegetation Management Experts
    • Professionals managing vegetation clearance and safety protocols
  7. Utility Trainers and Workforce Development Leaders
    • Those responsible for developing internal training programs and operational readiness for utility workers during disaster scenarios.
  8. Public Safety and Communications Specialists
    • Professionals handling customer communication during Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) events and other emergency situations.
  9. Insurance and Financial Advisors for Utilities
    • Consultants and financial leaders evaluating the cost of disaster preparedness and resilience investment strategies.

For Sponsorship Opportunities Contact

Mark Waldrop
720-988-1260
[email protected]

Raphael Gelfand
720-988-1262
[email protected]

Host Utility

Sponsors