Featured Speakers

Highlighted below are speakers that will be at this year's Grid of the Future. Check out our exciting lineup of speakers!

Monday, October 26

Next Generation Network Executive Leadership Roundtable | 1:00 - 5:00pm

The NGN Executive Leadership Roundtable is a first-of-its-kind session bringing together senior industry executives and high-potential young professionals for an interactive, case study–based discussion. Held on October 26 in Richmond, Virginia, the session will focus on leadership, strategic decision-making, and the future of the power system.

Designed to encourage open dialogue, the roundtable fosters mentorship, knowledge exchange, and collaboration across generations to address real-world industry challenges.

Tuesday, October 27

Women in Energy Breakfast | 7:00 - 7:45am

All are welcome to join the Women in Energy breakfast featuring Wendy Wellener, Senior Vice President of Administrative Services at Dominion Energy. Come learn about Wendy's career journey, her commitment to empowering women in the workplace, and network with fellow attendees.

Biography: Wendy T. Wellener is senior vice president–Administrative Services.

She oversees corporate safety and health, information technology, cyber and physical security, supply chain management, workplace development and aviation.

Wellener joined the company as an intern and ultimately started her career in the Nuclear Operations area, in supply chain, oversight and self-assessment roles.

She then transitioned to series of leadership positions in Facilities Management, Supply Chain and Human Resources (HR) where she focused on total rewards, benefits and compensation design and strategy, and employee experience, in addition to leadership of the HR business engagement teams. She was promoted to vice president–Human Resources in July 2014. In 2018, she was named vice president–Shared Services, with a strong focus on strategic procurement transformation and value creation across the enterprise. In 2024, she was promoted to vice president and chief procurement officer and was responsible for supply chain, fleet and facilities management, as well as corporate safety and health. She assumed her current post in January 2026.

Wellener earned a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering and operations research at Virginia Tech. As a proud Hokie, she serves as the Dominion Energy executive sponsor for the university. She is a member of the board of Women’s Business Enterprise Council Greater DMV, which certifies and champions women-owned businesses. She also serves as the executive sponsor of Dominion Energy’s Women’s Resource Group, We3. She received the Executive Sponsor of the Year award in 2020, given by the Diversity Impact Awards, in recognition of her efforts to improve diversity and inclusion, and has championed the launch of an annual Women’s Conference focused on empowering, engaging, and inspiring women and allies across the company.

Keynote Address | 8:00 - 8:30am

Biography: Edward H. “Ed” Baine is executive vice president–Utility Operations and president–Dominion Energy Virginia.

He is responsible for all facets of the utility business operations, including Dominion Energy Virginia, a vertically integrated electric utility with generation, transmission and distribution assets that provides electric service to about 2.8 million customer accounts in Virginia and northeastern North Carolina, and Dominion Energy South Carolina, which serves 800,000 electric utility customer accounts and 500,000 gas utility customers in South Carolina.

Baine joined the company in 1995 as an associate engineer and since has held numerous engineering, operational and management positions. He was promoted to vice president– Shared Services in 2009 and became vice president–Power Generation Merchant Operations in 2012. He became vice president–Power Generation System Operations in 2013 and senior vice president–Transmission & Customer Service in 2015. In 2016, he was named senior vice president–Distribution, Power Delivery Group. He was named senior vice president–Power Delivery, Dominion Energy Virginia in 2019. He was named president–Dominion Energy Virginia in October 2020, and president–Utility Operations and Dominion Energy Virginia in early 2025. Baine assumed his current position in July 2025.

Baine is a member of the boards of directors of Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Hubbell Incorporated, ChamberRVA, Venture Richmond, and the Dominion Energy Credit Union. In addition, he serves on the board of visitors at Virginia Tech and serves on the board of directors of the Hampton Roads Executive Roundtable, Virginia Learns, and is a member of American Revolution 250 Commission.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Virginia Tech and completed the advanced management program at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. He is a registered professional engineer in Virginia.

Panel Session: Issues and Solutions to Managing Grid Risks | 8:30 - 9:30am

This panel session is moderated by Damir Novosel, CEO and Co-Founder of Dash Power Partners.

Abstract: The electrical power system is stressed by recent and expected load growth due to computational loads/inverter-based loads (IBL) (e.g., large data center growth) and electrification of transportation, integration of inverter-based resources (IBRs), severe weather events (e.g., wildfires, hurricanes), and aging equipment & supply chain issues. Recent power system blackouts (e.g., Iberian and Chile) and unwanted disconnections of IBLs, create significant risks for the electrical power system and require different way of planning, operating and maintaining the grid and close collaboration among generating entities, T&D owners and operators, and consumers. In parallel, there is focus on affordability and continuous improvements in reliability and resilience.

Minimizing risks requires planning, operating, and maintaining that grid in a different way, leveraging new technologies, including AI tools. Standardization of requirements and solutions, use of best practices, and added transparency to interconnecting IBRs and IBLs are necessary factors to build the grid of the future. This panel will decide practical examples of risks and various solutions to balance reliability, resilience, and affordability.

Panel Session: How are Utility Leaders Redefining Affordability Through Grid Innovation?

This panel session is moderated by Wayne Bishop, Executive Vice President of Energy at Clarion Events.

Abstract: Affordability is no longer just a regulatory talking point or a customer service initiative, but has instead become a core operational metric for utilities across the nation. As the grid faces unprecedented demand and rising material costs, utility executives have had to completely rethinking how to keep rates manageable. It’s an ongoing process that has leaders and teams focused on adjusting the technical levers that can help drive systemic cost mitigation.

Join a panel of industry experts as they explore what it means to:

Utilize advanced automation and predictive maintenance to extract the maximum value out of existing infrastructure
Deploy advanced data analytics frameworks to identify system inefficiencies that can be resolved before they impact customer bills
Make technical choices in grid architecture and system planning that translate directly into long-term savings on a ratepayer’s bill
Turn daily engineering and operational decisions into the ultimate defense against rising energy costs

Wednesday, October 28

Next Generation Network Breakfast | 7:00-7:45am

Biography: Mark McVey is an ET Equipment &Technology Senior Strategic Advisor with 40 years’ experience at Dominion Energy. He received his B. S. degree in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1982.

Study Committee Chair B3 Substations CIGRE

Advisor For CIGRE B3 AA3 Air insulated Substations and Convener of CIGRE Brochure 614, 805.

The CIGRE Technical Council Award B3 2018 Paris, U.S. National Committee of CIGRE Attwood Associates Award 2018, The CIGRE Pioneer 2020 E-session Achievement Award , U.S. National Committee Dale Douglass Award 2023, Philip Sporn Award 2025

Advisor for the USA IEC TC 33 capacitor 1000 volts and above. Appointed Expert Emeritus, IEC TC 33, 2019

IEEE Fellow 2025

Chair IEEE Capacitor Subcommittee and WG chair IEEE 1036,1532, 824 and 1726

Virginia Tech Electrical & Computer Engineering Advisory Board 2024

Published over 30 papers and articles, Contributing Author CIGRE Substations Green Book and McGraw Edison Handbook for Engineers

Panel Session: Large Loads | 8:00-9:00am

This panel session is moderated by Matt Gardner of Dominion Energy.

Keynote Address | 9:00-9:30am

Biography: Christie is former Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). He is currently on the faculty of the William & Mary Law School where he teaches energy law and serves as the Founding Director of the William & Mary Law School Center for Energy Law and Policy.

Prior to serving on FERC, Christie was the Chairman of the Virginia State Corporation Commission (Virginia SCC), on which he served as a commissioner for nearly 17 years. He was elected to the Virginia SCC, which regulates utilities, insurance and banking, three times by the Virginia legislature on bipartisan votes.

During Christie’s service as a state regulator, he was elected president of the Organization of PJM States, Inc. (OPSI), an organization of utility regulators representing the 13 states and the District of Columbia which participate in the PJM transmission and markets organization. He served for more than a decade on the OPSI governing board. Christie also served as president of the Mid-Atlantic Conference of Regulatory Utilities Commissioners (MACRUC), a regional chapter of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC).

Former Chairman Christie taught regulatory law for a decade as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Virginia School of Law and constitutional law and government for 20 years in a doctoral program at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Christie received his law degree from Georgetown University and his undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University, where he graduated Magna cum Laude and earned Phi Beta Kappa honors. To help pay for college, he worked as an underground coal miner during summers.

He served as an officer in the U. S. Marine Corps. Semper fi.

Women in Energy Panel Session: Technology We Need to Make it to 2050 | 1:00-2:00pm

This panel session is moderated by Mallory Mannoni of 1898 & Co.

Abstract: To meet the demands of 2050, the utility sector will require a dual focus which includes upgrading physical infrastructure to handle growing and decarbonized energy needs, as well as and deploying digital and virtual technologies to manage complexity, optimize performance, and enhance resilience. Please join our esteemed panel led by women across the utility sector to discuss how these demands can be strategically met.

Panel Session: Wildfire Resiliency | 4:00-5:00pm

This panel session is moderated by Tyler Swearingen of Dominion Energy.

NGN Networking Social | 6:00-9:00pm

Biography: Pryor Jourdan is a Senior Vice President and Director of Substation at WSP, leading the Substation Business Unit within the Power Delivery sector. Based in Richmond, Virginia, he oversees a national team supporting utility clients across the United States in the development and delivery of complex substation projects. With over 25 years of experience in the power delivery industry, Pryor began his career as a drafter and progressed through a wide range of technical and leadership roles, including designer, project manager, department manager, and regional manager. His background spans substation design and engineering for systems ranging from distribution through extra-high voltage, including work on FACTS technologies such as SVCs and STATCOMs. Pryor brings a practical, field-informed perspective to leadership, combining deep technical knowledge with a focus on team development, operational excellence, and strategic growth.

Thursday, October 29

Tour: Dominion Energy's High Voltage Laboratory and Mobile Equipment Facility | 7:45am-12:00pm

High Voltage Laboratory at Dominion Energy Locks Campus in Petersburg, VA

Step inside one of the nation’s most advanced and newest high-voltage testing environments and see how modern transmission systems are validated, analyzed, and improved. This exclusive technical tour offers attendees a firsthand look at Dominion Energy’s High Voltage Laboratory, a specialized facility designed for testing and failure analysis of equipment rated up to 765 kV. Participants will observe how controlled electrical tests, including AC, DC, lightning impulse, and switching impulse, are applied to replicate real-world and extreme grid conditions. These tests provide critical insight into insulation integrity, dielectric performance, and equipment withstand capability under both steady-state and transient scenarios, ensuring designs meet rigorous industry standards before deployment. This is a unique opportunity to engage with the technologies and processes that underpin a safer, more resilient power grid.

Dominion Energy’s Mobile Equipment Facility near Richmond, VA (close proximity to Richmond International Airport)

Dominion Energy’s mobile storage facility near Richmond is a critical facility supporting transmission reliability and emergency restoration. The mobile equipment fleet housed within this facility is well-positioned to respond to system needs and plays a vital role in maintaining reliable grid operations. You will have an opportunity to see some of Dominion Energy’s specialized mobile equipment including 230/115 kV transformers and 230 kV GIS breakers which are equipped with a quick-connect cable design for rapid field deployment.

*Transportation will be provided. An optional drop off at the Richmond International Airport will be available around 11:30AM for attendees needing to catch a flight.*

Reframing IBR Fault Response: The End of Protection by Modeling and a Return to First Principles | 8:00am-12:00pm

The behavior of inverter-based resources (IBRs) during faults remains one of the most pressing challenges in modern power systems. Despite extensive research and active standardization work across national, regional, and international organizations, progress has been slow. Protection engineers continue to face uncertainty, as IBR fault response varies widely across technologies and implementations. Today, utilities rely heavily on detailed modeling and simulation to design protection systems for networks with IBRs. Yet even small adjustments to IBR control algorithms, such as firmware updates or user selectable control settings, can undermine these protection schemes and force costly reengineering. Although this model-centric approach was once unavoidable, it cannot support a reliable and scalable industry path forward.

This tutorial explains how we arrived at the current situation and why existing approaches to IBR fault response standardization fall short. It then outlines practical, high-level requirements that any successful IBR fault response standard must satisfy. From there, the tutorial shows how simpler, more realistic IBR fault-response requirements can resolve the issue and allow traditional protection principles to remain effective. Simulation studies and relay test results demonstrate that such an approach is both feasible for IBR manufacturers and compatible with legacy protection systems. These examples illustrate that the industry can move away from reliance on complex custom models and toward a stable, predictable, and easily enforceable IBR behavior standard. The tutorial speakers have hands-on experience in power system protection, inverter modeling and design, standardization, and regulatory oversight.

Potential Roles of Energy Storage in Electric Power Systems | 9:00-11:00am

The tutorial provides an overview of the various types of energy storage as they continue to evolve, including how different forms of energy storage can be applied, the issues they address, and the problems they encounter. It also presents examples of energy storage experiences, the main factors in selecting energy storage, and a glimpse into future developments.

Biography: Mr. Palermo, a System Planner with 50 years of experience, has a strong background in power systems, specializing in transmission analysis and planning, reliability analysis, and market design. He has advised utilities across North America, Europe, Asia, South America, Australia, and Africa on technical system analyses, market design, and restructuring. Mr. Palermo has provided expert testimony before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (ferc) on various restructuring initiatives. He has also testified as an expert before state utility commissions, state legislatures, civil courts, and arbitration panels. Mr. Palermo has advised utilities and generating companies on the formation of isos, rtos, and transmission companies. Additionally, he has taught a series of electrical engineering and electric utility-related courses.

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