1:30 PM | Check In and Registration

2:00 PM | Opening Remarks & Platinum Sponsor Message
– Andrew Barth: President, TEPA & Partner, CSD Energy

From Data to Power: How AI and Data Centers are Shaping Our Energy Future
The rapid expansion of AI and data centers is fueling a significant surge in electricity demand, presenting both challenges and opportunities. This shift is reshaping grid dynamics, impacting wholesale markets, retail energy strategies, and price volatility. In this session, we will explore how data center growth is transforming the energy landscape, and how retail energy providers, brokers, and consultants can navigate these changes to drive success in a rapidly evolving market.

– Scott Hart: Senior Vice President & Head of Sales for NRG Business

2:45 PM | Summer 2025 Market Outlook: Key Drivers and Customer Impacts
This session will break down the key factors shaping energy prices heading into summer – natural gas markets, grid reliability challenges, and growing demand across the major U.S. regions. We’ll cover what’s happening across all markets with a focus on what these trends mean for customers managing budgets, planning procurement, and navigating market risks. 

– Moderator | Perry Ruthven: Managing Director-Houston Region, Priority Power
– Eric Bratcher: Chief Risk Officer, 5
– Gary Cunningham: Director of Market Research, Tradition Energy
– Jason Gwynn: EVP Portfolio/Supply, Shell Energy
– Nathan Mancha: Director of C&I Origination, BP

3:45 PM |  Price Takers vs. Price Makers: The New Load Shaping ERCOT
ERCOT’s demand growth is surging, driven by two very different types of load: flexible crypto mining operations that can quickly curtail during price spikes, and largely price-insensitive AI and HPC data centers. This panel will explore how these contrasting load profiles are reshaping market dynamics and pricing. We’ll also examine the Trump administration’s push to “build fast” and co-locate new generation—natural gas, solar, and batteries—alongside these emerging loads. What does this mean for ERCOT’s future, and where do we go from here?

– Moderator | Saint Clair Newbern IV: President, Live Energy
– Lee Bratcher: President & Founder, Blockchain Council
– Dan Lawrence: President, OBM

4:45 PM | Closing Remarks
– Shannon McGriff, TEPA Executive Director

5:00 – 7:00 | Networking Reception & Happy Hour
– Sponsored by Freepoint Energy Solutions