Western Transmission Summit

The 2026 Western Transmission Summit is a pivotal conference designed for utility executives, transmission planners, regulators, ISO/RTO staff, renewable developers, storage and technology specialists, legal and permitting professionals, industrial and data center stakeholders, investors, and resilience planners. This event will take place at SMUD in Sacramento, United States, and is tailored for professionals responsible for building, operating, financing, or regulating the Western grid amidst rapid load growth, clean energy integration, and evolving reliability challenges. As the Western region faces unprecedented demands due to data center expansion, industrial electrification, and aggressive clean energy mandates, the Summit aims to provide practical strategies and regional coordination necessary to tackle the immediate and long-term pressures on the bulk power system.Attendees will engage with a lineup of top-tier speakers and industry leaders who will share insights on navigating complex regulatory landscapes and executing critical infrastructure projects. The conference will cover essential topics such as clearing massive interconnection backlogs, managing the operational shift toward RTO West, and streamlining federal, state, and tribal approvals for key interregional corridors. Participants will also learn about implementing innovative solutions like 'first-ready' cluster studies that integrate high-density AI and industrial loads, leveraging machine learning to mitigate wildfire and climate risks, and utilizing next-gen analytics to maximize existing transmission capacity. The insights shared at the Summit will not only highlight best practices and lessons learned from mega-projects but also emphasize the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to ensure reliability, safety, and affordability for ratepayers in the face of escalating demands on the grid. This conference is an invaluable opportunity for networking and exchanging ideas with peers and industry experts, making it a must-attend event for those involved in the transmission sector.