By C.Y. Chung, IEEE Power & Energy Society President
The 2026 IEEE PES T&D Conference: Powering Reliability, Engineering Resilience, hosted by ComEd, was recently held in Chicago this past May. The conference was a rare opportunity for tens of thousands of leaders from utilities, energy companies and academia to gather in one space to collaborate on the biggest issues in energy. This year’s edition featured countless conversations and presentations which helped chart our industry towards a better, more sustainable and reliable energy future.
Historic Attendance and Participation
In fact, over 18,000 power and energy professionals from 89 countries attended this year’s conference, making it the largest in its 60+ year storied history. This growth did not happen by accident – the IEEE PES organizing committee, staff and volunteers made it their mission to expand the conference’s influence and reach. They succeeded. We noted that 36% of exhibitors were new this year, and there was a 20% increase in utility attendance.
The massive exhibit floor, which spanned more than 315,000 square feet housing 933 exhibitors, was an extremely impressive showcase of innovation. Importantly, it also included an all-new IEEE Pavilion, which brought together all IEEE brands under one roof at a conference for the very first time, allowing for industry professionals to engage with multiple specialties and connect with subject matter experts in a number of disciplines.
These figures tell an impactful story. Now, more than ever, global power and energy professionals view IEEE and PES as their preferred partners to help build the energy systems that will power the future for billions of people globally.
Unmatched Conference Experience
I was honored to be one of the first speakers which opened the conference on the importance of bringing together energy professionals from all over the world. My remarks highlighted what T&D is about: sharing the latest technological innovations, cultivating relationships and, most importantly, showcasing the global reach of IEEE PES. We then heard from Dr. Chris Kofinis, CEO, Park Street Strategies, who walked us through the initial findings of PES’ momentous Vision 2050 research project, which shed light on the views held by industry insiders and global consumers alike.
The extensive program for the week included more than 600 speakers in over 100 sessions. Programming offered tutorials on technical topics like wildfire mitigation planning, alternative solutions for grid enhancement and the fundamentals of distribution reliability and resilience. It also included super sessions on impactful issues such as balancing our carbon goals and stabilizing AI data center load fluctuations.
As an academic myself, the program dedicated time with students and young professionals, educating them on the soft skills needed to grow their networks and get hired for their next jobs. Focusing on young people is so valuable because we need talented engineers from all backgrounds who are skilled in new technologies. This optimized workforce will be needed to build the energy future our respective nations need.
What stood out throughout the week was not just the vast collection of technical insights on display. It was the palpable motivation from speakers and attendees to develop solutions for some of our many energy challenges. I left feeling inspired and motivated to work on these important opportunities within the industry.
What’s Next
If you were unable to join us in Chicago this year, I highly recommend marking your calendar to attend the upcoming IEEE PES General Meeting, 19-23 July, 2026 in Montreal, Canada or the next T&D Conference, 24-27 April, 2028, in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
It should come as no surprise that planning has already begun to make it even larger and more impactful. In the meantime, visit our upcoming events page for more IEEE and IEEE PES events where you can expand your technical knowledge, learn from leading experts and make meaningful connections with your fellow attendees.
Thank you again to everyone who joined us at this year’s IEEE PES T&D Conference, and to all the staff and volunteers who made it a memorable week.
