Summary - Transmission Infrastructure South 2026. Online registration by Cvent

As the Southern US advances its clean energy transition, the region faces both a strategic opportunity and an urgent imperative - to modernize and expand its aging transmission infrastructure. Historically reliant on abundant fossil resources and decentralized planning, the South must now adapt to the demands of a rapidly growing economy, rising electricity consumption from sectors like electric vehicles, data centers, and advanced manufacturing, and the escalating impacts of climate change.

States including Texas, Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas are experiencing record-breaking load growth and increased grid stress from extreme weather. Yet, much of the region’s transmission network remains underbuilt, outdated, and insufficiently interconnected. Fragmented regulatory structures, limited interregional transmission capacity, and high vulnerability to hurricanes, heatwaves, and flooding continue to pose serious challenges to the planning, siting, and timely development of critical grid infrastructure. These issues increasingly represent key barriers to system reliability, cost control, and the integration of clean energy resources.

Building on the success of Global Transmission Report’s national conference series on clean energy, transmission, grids, and electrification, with recent editions held in New York, California, and the Midwest, we are excited to bring this timely and focused conversation to the Southern US for the first time. We are pleased to announce the inaugural edition of Transmission Infrastructure South, to be held on April 8, 2026, at W Austin, Texas.

This event will convene key stakeholders from across the region to evaluate infrastructure gaps, explore practical solutions, and accelerate progress toward a modern, reliable, and climate-resilient Southern grid.

Key themes will include:

Regional and interregional transmission expansion priorities
Grid resilience and modernization in the face of climate risk
Planning and coordination across ERCOT, SPP, and the Southeast
Permitting, siting, and equitable community engagement
The role of federal and state policy in enabling transmission expansion and investment
Interconnection strategies for large loads
Emerging technologies for grid upgrades

The conference will provide an opportunity for collaboration and knowledge sharing. Participants will assess current gaps and highlight regional solutions to advance the infrastructure needed to meet the South’s growing energy and economic needs.