The last time electric cooperatives met in San Antonio, Texas, for NRECA's annual meeting, it was 1945 and World War II had just ended. Co-ops were in their infancy, and it was just the third annual meeting for the association.

Nearly 80 years later, co-ops will return to the Alamo City March 1-6 for NRECA PowerXchange to conduct association business and discuss challenges and opportunities amid a transforming electric utility industry. All pre-conference courses and events will take place at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center near the city's famed River Walk.

“Co-ops Keep the Lights On" is the theme of 2024 PowerXchange, and co-op leaders and directors will have opportunities to share ideas, strategies and best practices on industry issues.

“From turning on the first lightbulb in rural America to powering the data farms of today, electric cooperatives have been providing light, comfort and access to our communities for decades," said Erin Pressley, NRECA's senior vice president for Education, Training and Events.

“We're returning to San Antonio to recognize how far we've come and to celebrate the growth and resilience of our industry in spite of some critical challenges to our future."

Participants will notice more collaborative experiences between PowerXchange and TechAdvantage. The changes this year include:

• A singular app and program guide for both events, making it easier for attendees to navigate the convention center and the Expo.
• A combined closing general session on future technologies and 10 education sessions on topics critical to the cooperative industry.
• The Welcome Happy Hour, NRECA International Lunch and Entertainment Night will be available to all attendees.
• Meals for both events will be combined, delivering more networking time for attendees.

And Youth Leadership Council delegates will “be more visible than ever" this year as they take on roles as ambassadors and breakout session assistants among other duties, said Beth Knudson, NRECA's youth programs and training manager.

Hotel Reservations and Event Registration

The early-bird meeting registration discount and hotel deadline is 9 p.m. ET on Jan. 10. After that, regular registration fees apply. Online registration is available until March 4, and participants can sign up on-site.

NRECA Annual Business Meeting

The annual member business meeting will be on March 5. Voting delegates from each NRECA voting member system will have the opportunity to vote on proposed member resolutions forwarded by the NRECA Member Standing Committees and National Resolutions Committee. Voting members will get the 2024 Proposed Member Resolutions via email in late January. The National Resolutions Committee will host a proposed resolutions forum at 4 p.m. March 3 to answer questions.

General Session Speakers

NRECA CEO Jim Matheson will address participants at the March 4 opening general session and welcome keynote speaker Liv Boeree, a British science communicator, television presenter and former professional poker player. In “Poker Thinking Applied to Business and Life," she will discuss how techniques and tricks used by top poker players can be applied to decision-making amid times of uncertainty.

On March 5, NRECA will introduce the 44 members of the Youth Leadership Council, and the YLC spokesperson will address the meeting. NRECA President Tony Anderson will also take the stage, as well as Touchstone Energy® Cooperative Executive Director Jana Adams and Touchstone Energy Board President Tim McCarthy, CEO of Sioux Valley Energy. Baseball legend and retired Baltimore Oriole shortstop and third baseman Cal Ripken Jr. will give the keynote presentation, “Just Show Up: And Other Enduring Values from Baseball's Iron Man," and reflect on his experience setting the record for most consecutive games played (2,632).

Mike Walsh, founder and CEO of Tomorrow, will be the third general session speaker on March 6. In “Thriving in an Age of Accelerating Technology," he will provide insights on what companies, technologies and global forces are shaping the age of machine intelligence and discuss how business leaders can redesign their organizations, reimagine their roles and reinvent the way they make decisions.

Breakout Sessions

This year, 19 breakout sessions will take place March 4 and 5. Speakers will discuss a range of industry topics, including the board's role in reliability; resilience in a changing environment; the future of work and how to adapt; artificial intelligence; preparing for natural disasters; and the latest federal funding programs.

Of special note is a March 5 breakout for women in power. Joy Ditto, former president and CEO of American Public Power Association, will be the featured speaker on a panel that will include co-op leaders. A reception will immediately follow.

Entertainment Night

Country and gospel singer and songwriter Josh Turner will perform on March 5. Tickets are still available.

Other Activities

The NRECA International Lunch sponsored by CoBank will take place March 4 and will feature a panel on the burgeoning electric co-op movement in sub-Saharan Africa and American co-ops' role. The America's Electric Cooperatives PAC breakfast is set for March 5. Tickets are required for both events.

Community Service Opportunities

This year, Touchstone Energy is sponsoring three community service events in partnership with Veteran's Last Patrol (March 4), Meals of Hope (March 5) and Operation Gratitude (March 6). Participants must sign up ahead of time during PowerXchange registration for 30-minute time slots for the March 5 and 6 activities.

Visit the NRECA PowerXchange conference webpage for more details and registration information.

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