2026 Midwestern Transmission Summit

December 2 - 3, 2026 Chicago, IL Atwell

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Pricing Analyst, Otter Tail Power

As electricity demand continues to grow, transmission infrastructure is taking center stage in conversations around reliability, economic growth, and the future of the electric grid. The 2026 Midwestern Transmission Summit will bring together leaders from across the energy industry to share lessons learned, discuss emerging challenges, and explore the planning, development, and delivery strategies needed to advance transmission projects across the Midwest.

Join us for the 18^th Annual Midwestern Transmission Summit, hosted by Atwell.

Learning Outcomes

Assess how long-range transmission planning efforts are evolving to address increasing demand, reliability needs, and changing generation resources
Identify opportunities to maximize existing transmission infrastructure while longer-term grid expansion projects move through development
Evaluate planning and infrastructure strategies being used to prepare for data centers, advanced manufacturing, electrification, and other sources of large load growth
Compare approaches for balancing affordability, reliability, and investment priorities as transmission needs continue to expand
Recognize the regulatory, policy, workforce, supply chain, and stakeholder challenges influencing transmission project timelines across the Midwest
Explore how grid-enhancing technologies can increase system utilization and support more efficient transmission operations
Examine emerging applications of artificial intelligence and advanced analytics across transmission planning, engineering, and project development
Discuss practical strategies for advancing transmission projects from planning through execution while navigating competing stakeholder priorities

Register

Please Note: Confirmed speakers do not need to register and are encouraged to participate in all sessions of the event. If you are a speaker and have any questions please contact our offices at 1.303.770.8800

REGISTER NOW FOR THIS EVENT:

Individual attendee(s)$ 1495.00 each(early bird rate) (price after November 13, 2026 is $ 1,695.00)
Volume pricing also available Individual attendee tickets can be mixed with ticket packs for complete flexibility
Pack of 5 attendees$ 6,350.00 (15% discount)(early bird rate) (price after November 13, 2026 is $ 7,200.00)
Pack of 10 attendees$ 12,760.00 (15% discount)(early bird rate) (price after November 13, 2026 is $ 13,560.00)
Pack of 20 attendees$ 22,425.00 (25% discount)(early bird rate) (price after November 13, 2026 is $ 25,425.00)


Finish and Pay

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 30, 2026 in order to be refunded and will be subject to a US $295.00 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

EUCI retains the right to refuse registration by any individual or company.

Day one

Wednesday, December 2, 2026

Day two

Thursday, December 3, 2026

Agenda

Wednesday, December 2, 2026

Chicago, IL

Registration & Catered Breakfast

8:00 AM

Group Luncheon

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Adjourn for the day

6:30 PM

8:00 AM - 8:25 AM

Registration & Catered Breakfast

8:25 - 8:30 AM

Overview & Instructions

8:30 - 9:00 AM

Welcome Remarks

Jason Utton Senior Vice President of Power & Energy Atwell

9:00 - 10:00 AM

Long-Range Transmission Planning Execution

This session will explore current transmission planning priorities and considerations shaping the future of the Midwest grid. Attendees will gain insight into the evolving planning landscape and the challenges and opportunities associated with preparing the transmission system for future needs.

Milica Geissler Director – Interregional Planning & Cost Allocation MISO

10:00 - 10:15 AM

Morning Break

10:15 - 11:30 AM

Modification of Existing Infrastructure as a Bridge to Long-Range Transmission Build-Out

The Midwest knows it needs substantial new transmission, but those projects can take years to plan, approve, permit, procure, and construct. In the meantime, modifications to existing infrastructure may offer a bridge, creating meaningful capacity, reliability, and schedule benefits while the long-range grid is built. This panel will explore where those opportunities exist, how to identify the right projects, what execution challenges can erode their advantages, and how utilities should value near-term investments alongside long-range solutions.

Moderator: Danielle Peoples Director Atwell LLC

Sean Brewer Senior Director – Project Execution NextEra Transmission

Tara Green Real Estate Specialist Ameren Corporation

Kevin Thundiyil Senior Manager Transmission Development Exelon

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Group Luncheon

12:30 - 2:00 PM

Planning for Large Load Growth in the Midwest

Demand growth from data centers, advanced manufacturing, electrification, and other large energy users is creating new challenges for utilities, transmission planners, and regional grid operators. This panel will explore how organizations across the Midwest are planning for uncertain load forecasts, evaluating infrastructure needs, and balancing economic development opportunities with reliability, affordability, and transmission constraints. Panelists will share perspectives on what they’re seeing today and how they’re preparing for future growth.

Moderator: Danielle Peoples Director Atwell LLC

Kevin Coughlin Vice President Atwell LLC

Cathriona Fey Vice President, Energy and Industrial Illinois Economic Development Corporation

Michael Fleck, P.E. Director, Reliability & Regional Planning ITC Holdings

Arash Ghodsian Vice President, Transmission & Policy Invenergy

Haibin Sun Director, Transmission Asset Planning & Strategy Exelon

2:00 - 2:45 PM

Affordability, Reliability, and Building the Grid Customers Need

Affordability is the word these days in energy policy. This session will go over many of the proposals to better optimize the existing grid, as well as build out the grid of the future, with an eye to affordability and reliability.

Katharine McCormick Director of Distributed Government Relations and Regulatory Affairs RWE

2:45 - 3:00 PM

Afternoon Break

3:00 - 4:30 PM

What is Slowing Down Transmission Development in the Midwest?

Despite broad agreement on the need for new transmission infrastructure, many projects continue to face delays as they move from planning into execution. This panel will examine the practical challenges affecting transmission development across the Midwest, including permitting and regulatory hurdles, stakeholder engagement, workforce and supply chain constraints, project delivery complexities, and evolving planning priorities. Panelists will discuss where projects are encountering obstacles today, lessons learned from recent efforts, and what can be done to move needed infrastructure forward more efficiently.

Moderator: Daniel Belin Experience, Principal Project Manager and US Team Lead DNV

Amy Antoniolli Partner ArentFox Schiff

Elise Caplan Vice President, Regulatory Affairs ACORE

Rajnish Chauhan Consultant, Practice Lead – Interconnection Utilicast

Arash Ghodsian Vice President, Transmission & Policy Invenergy

Kevin Thundiyil Senior Manager Transmission Development Exelon

Dolly Villasmil Vice President – Utilities NEI Electric Power Engineering, an Atwell Company

4:30 - 6:30 PM

Happy Hour - Hosted by Atwell

Following the sessions on day one, continue the conversation at the Sky Lounge. Enjoy drinks, passed appetizers, and the opportunity to connect with peers from across the transmission industry.

Location: Sky Lounge (41^st Floor)
Same building as the conference

Agenda

Thursday, December 3, 2026

Chicago, IL

Catered Breakfast

8:00 AM

Adjourn for the day

11:45 AM

8:00 AM - 8:30 AM

Catered Breakfast

8:30 - 9:30 AM

Minnesota Grid-Enhancing Technologies Study: Maximizing the Existing Transmission System

This session will present Minnesota transmission owners’ evaluation of historical and forecasted congestion and the potential for grid-enhancing technologies to increase transmission capacity and redirect power around constrained facilities. The discussion will cover ambient adjusted ratings, dynamic line ratings, advanced power flow controllers, and topology optimization, as well as the study’s approach to identifying solutions, estimating economic benefits, and developing implementation plans for cost-effective projects.

Jared Alholinna Manager, Regional Transmission Planning Great River Energy

9:30 - 10:45 AM

Leveraging AI to Accelerate System Planning and Transmission Development

As utilities and grid operators respond to increasing load growth, evolving resource mixes, and rising infrastructure needs, artificial intelligence is emerging as a powerful tool across the transmission development process. This panel will explore how organizations are applying AI and advanced analytics to support planning, engineering, project development, and decision-making, while discussing lessons learned, implementation challenges, and opportunities for the future.

Moderator: Michael Tierney Head of North America Continuum Industries

Jasmine Badiee Konrad, PhD Team Lead – Innovation & Automation NEI Electric Power Engineering, an Atwell Company

Representative SPP

Representative Hitachi

10:45 - 11:00 AM

Morning Break

11:00 - 11:45 AM

Transmission’s Role in Meeting Emerging Growth and Reliability Needs

The electric industry is facing a period of significant change driven by growing demand, evolving generation resources, and increasing reliability expectations. This session will examine the role transmission can play in addressing these challenges and discuss key considerations for planning and developing the grid of the future.

Moshe Bonder Head of Origination National Grid Ventures

Andres Hernandez Lead Analyst, Business Development US National Grid Ventures