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NRECA’s PowerXchange makes its comeback to Atlanta in 2025,
the first time the event will be held there in 15 years.
The conference will shine a spotlight
on the forces driving innovation and inspiration for electric cooperatives—covering
market trends, technology and impactful policy shifts.
"Inspiration is the
foundation of progress, empowering people and businesses to dream bigger and
think differently,” said Erin Pressley, NRECA’s senior vice president of Education,
Training and Events. “We're excited to embrace this theme for this year's
PowerXchange to help attendees achieve their fullest potential.”
The conference is set for March
7-12 at the Georgia World Congress Center and marks the largest gathering of co-op
executives, staff and board members. NRECA’s annual member business meeting will
take place during PowerXchange, and the TechAdvantage conference and expo will again run concurrently.
PowerXchange’s convenient location
will make it easier for many co-op representatives to attend. Atlanta is drivable
for dozens of Southeast co-ops and a quick plane ride from much of the country;
around 80% of the U.S. population is within a two-hour flight of the city,
according to the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau.
“Atlanta is one of the top
destinations for large events,” says Kristen Wheeler, NRECA’s manager of event
education and programming. “The city has over 12,000 hotel rooms and many
attractions, including the College Football Hall of Fame, Georgia Aquarium and
World of Coca-Cola, all downtown and within walking distance of the Georgia
World Congress Center.”
Getting Started, Breakout Sessions
PowerXchange kicks off March 7 with
three days of pre-conference workshops. Topics include effective governance, how
to evaluate and improve board performance, artificial intelligence and co-ops’
evolving power supply.
Nearly 20 breakout sessions are
scheduled. The sessions will touch on the cyberattack landscape, wildfires, AI,
surging energy demand, serving data center loads and co-op innovation.
Federal policies are another
focus, with March 10 sessions on the post-election landscape for the energy
sector and what’s next for the Environmental Protection Agency’s greenhouse gas
rule for power plants.
On March 11, the Agriculture
Department’s Rural Utilities Service will give an update on its electric and
broadband loan and grant programs. Other broadband-focused sessions include a
March 10 panel on synergies between broadband and electric businesses,
featuring CEOs from several co-ops. And a March 11 panel will look at
navigating the evolving middle-mile landscape.
Speaker Highlights
NRECA CEO Jim Matheson will
address the opening general session on March 10, along with Daymond John, CEO
and founder of apparel company FUBU and star of ABC’s “Shark Tank” business
reality show. The March 11 general session will feature the farewell address
from outgoing NRECA President Tony Anderson, and HGTV stars Erin and Ben Napier
of “Home Town” will discuss their commitment to community as they helped
revitalize the small town of Laurel, Mississippi.
Noelle Russell of the AI
Leadership Institute will deliver the closing general session address March 12
on how specific industries are evolving due to generative and applied AI
technologies.
Activities, Entertainment
PowerXchange will feature “activation
stations” for attendees in the convention center’s main hallways. Activities include
a live artist painting a lineman, live music and opportunities for attendees to
share how they are inspired.
Along with nightly receptions,
the conference will host country singer Scotty McCreery for Entertainment Night
on March 11. The “American Idol” winner made history in 2011 as both the first
country artist and the youngest male artist to debut his first studio album,
the Platinum-certified Clear as Day, at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard Top
200 Albums chart.
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