2026 Summer Policy Summit

Session Key

CLOSED — Closed to non-members (Commission members only)

OPEN — Open to all registrants

Saturday, July 18

Innovative Technologies Building Tour

Saturday, July 18
1:30pm – 3:30pm

OPEN

Visit at least one nearby building with innovative on-site energy systems. A-Mill Artist Lofts is a historic, LEED Gold-certified apartment complex that uses a 600-kW hydroelectric system in its basement to generate roughly 75% of the power needed for its 251 artist studio units, utilizing the nearby Saint Anthony Falls. The building also features a hydrothermal system for heating and cooling, alongside a storm-water management system that processes 100% of rainwater.

Another location likely to be confirmed soon. 

Registration required.

Saint Paul Service Center at the Heights Site Visit

Saturday, July 18
1:30pm – 3:30pm

OPEN

Staff Subcommittee on Critical Infrastructure
Staff Subcommittee on Electric Reliability and Resilience

Xcel Energy’s Saint Paul Service Center, located within The Heights redevelopment, is a 320,000+ square foot facility paired with a first-of-its-kind district geothermal system designed to serve the broader mixed-use community. This networked system uses aquifer thermal energy storage to deliver low-carbon heating and cooling at scale, highlighting innovative approaches to reducing emissions and long-term energy costs. This site visit offers regulators and staff a practical look at how district energy systems and utility infrastructure can be evaluated in proceedings, including considerations around cost recovery, public financing, and resilience. 

REGISTRATION REQUIRED. 

Saturday, July 18
3:30pm – 5:00pm

CLOSED

Executive Committee

(Invitees Only)

Sunday, July 19

NARUC Members-Only Workshop: Leveraging Data for Regulatory Decision-Making

Sunday, July 19
9:00am – 12:00pm

Room: Symphony III

OPEN

The NARUC Center for Partnerships & Innovation and U.S. Department of Energy Office of Electricity are co-hosting an interactive, members-only workshop on creating a data-supported decision-making environment at state utility commissions. The workshop will include limited presentations and ample time for peer-to-peer dialogue about the successes and challenges commissions are currently facing in receiving and using utility system data from companies to facilitate timely, data-informed decision making. When a commission requests data from a utility, do you get what you are expecting? Is it useful? Does it answer your questions? Are you able to analyze the data and synthesize insights across relevant proceedings? For many state decision-makers, it is difficult to define exactly what data are needed, in what format, and then what insights it can provide. Attendees will learn about successful examples from other states while also sharing challenges that can be overcome. Insights from this session will be combined with other NARUC-DOE sessions throughout 2026 and anonymously included in a new DOE Voices of Experience summary of gaps and opportunities in leveraging electricity system data to support investment decisions. Registration is free and open to state commissioners and commission staff.

This workshop is open to NARUC members only and requires. Advance registration required.

North Star Morning Brew

Sunday, July 19
9:30am – 10:00am

Room: Grand Ballroom Foyer

OPEN

Registration Open

Sunday, July 19
9:30am – 6:00pm

Room: Red Wing

OPEN

Sunday, July 19
10:00am – 11:00am

Room: Grand E

OPEN

Staff Subcommittee on Rate Design

Sunday, July 19
10:00am – 11:00am

Room: Rochester

OPEN

Staff Subcommittee on Electric Reliability and Resilience

Sunday, July 19
10:00am – 11:00am

Room: Marquette I-V

OPEN

Staff Subcommittee on Energy Resources and the Environment

Sunday, July 19
10:00am – 11:00am

Room: Duluth

OPEN

Staff Subcommittee on Telecommunications

North Star Morning Brew

Sunday, July 19
11:00am – 11:15am

Room: Grand Ballroom Foyer

OPEN

Sunday, July 19
11:15am – 12:15pm

Room: Rochester

OPEN

Staff Subcommittee on Accounting and Finance

Sunday, July 19
11:15am – 12:15pm

Room: Marquette I-V

OPEN

Staff Subcommittee on Consumers and the Public Interest

Sunday, July 19
11:15am – 12:15pm

OPEN

Staff Subcommittee on Information Services

Sunday, July 19
11:15am – 12:15pm

Room: Grand E

OPEN

Staff Subcommittee of Public Information Officers

Sunday, July 19
11:15am – 12:15pm

Room: Grand G-F

OPEN

Staff Subcommittee on Telecommunications

Sunday, July 19
11:15am – 12:15pm

Room: Duluth

OPEN

Staff Subcommittee on Energy Resources and the Environment

Sunday, July 19
11:15am – 12:15pm

CLOSED

Staff Subcommittee on Pipeline Safety

New Commissioners Welcome Luncheon

Sunday, July 19
11:30am – 1:30pm

Room: Grand C

CLOSED

For commissioners who have served less than 12 months

Lunch on Your Own

Sunday, July 19
12:15pm – 1:30pm

OPEN

Sunday, July 19
12:30pm – 1:30pm

Room: Symphony 4

CLOSED

Washington Action Program

(Commissioners/Commission Staff Only)

Emerging Technologies Showcase III

Sunday, July 19
1:00pm – 5:00pm

Room: Directors Row 2, 3, and 4; Boardroom 1, 2, and 3; Symphony I and II

CLOSED

Separate registration required.

Join us for the third iteration of the NARUC Emerging Technologies Showcase, an interactive forum for NARUC members to engage directly with cutting-edge technology innovators. Attendees will be divided into small groups and rotate through a series of brief presentations led by 6–8 technology companies, sparking meaningful dialogue between regulators and innovators shaping the future of the energy sector. 

This event is open to NARUC members only. Full attendance for the duration of the program is expected. Register here.  

Sponsored by the Critical Infrastructure Committee and Staff Subcommittee, with support from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response and the DOE Office of Electricity.

Sunday, July 19
1:30pm – 2:30pm

Room: Symphony IV

OPEN

Staff Subcommittee on Education and Research
Subcommittee on Education and Research

Sunday, July 19
1:30pm – 2:30pm

Room: Marquette I-V

OPEN

Staff Subcommittee on Electricity

Sunday, July 19
1:30pm – 2:30pm

Room: Duluth

OPEN

Staff Subcommittee on Gas

Sunday, July 19
1:30pm – 2:30pm

Room: Rochester

OPEN

Staff Subcommittee on Regulatory and Industry Diversity

Sunday, July 19
1:30pm – 2:30pm

OPEN

Staff Subcommittee on Nuclear Energy

Twin Cities Afternoon Recharge

Sunday, July 19
2:30pm – 2:45pm

Room: Grand Ballroom Foyer

OPEN

Sunday, July 19
2:45pm – 3:45pm

Room: Rochester

OPEN

Select Committee on Regulatory and Industry Diversity

Sunday, July 19
2:45pm – 3:45pm

Room: Duluth

OPEN

Staff Subcommittee on Coal and Carbon Innovation
Subcommittee on Coal and Carbon Innovation

Sunday, July 19
2:45pm – 3:45pm

Room: Grand E

OPEN

Staff Subcommittee on Nuclear Energy
Subcommittee on Nuclear Energy

Sunday, July 19
2:45pm – 3:45pm

Room: Marquette I-V

OPEN

Committee on Water
Staff Subcommittee on Water

Twin Cities Afternoon Recharge

Sunday, July 19
3:45pm – 4:00pm

Room: Grand Ballroom Foyer

OPEN

Sunday, July 19
4:00pm – 5:00pm

Room: Rochester

OPEN

Committee on Consumers and the Public Interest

Sunday, July 19
4:00pm – 5:00pm

Room: Marquette I-V

OPEN

Committee on International Relations

Sunday, July 19
4:00pm – 5:00pm

Room: Grand G-F

CLOSED

Staff Subcommittee on Executive Management

Sunday, July 19
4:00pm – 5:00pm

OPEN

Staff Subcommittee on Administrative Law Judges
Staff Subcommittee on Law

Sunday, July 19
4:00pm – 5:00pm

Room: Grand E

OPEN

Committee on Critical Infrastructure

Sunday, July 19
4:00pm – 5:00pm

Room: Duluth

CLOSED

Subcommittee on Pipeline Safety

North Star Networking Reception

Sunday, July 19
5:00pm – 6:00pm

Room: Grand Ballroom

OPEN

Monday, July 20

Registration Open

Monday, July 20
8:00am – 4:00pm

OPEN

Commission Chairs Council Breakfast

Monday, July 20
8:00am – 9:00am

CLOSED

(Invitees Only)

North Star Morning Brew

Monday, July 20
8:30am – 9:00am

OPEN

Opening General Session

Monday, July 20
9:00am – 10:45am

OPEN

Keynote Speaker: Sunny Wescott

Sunny Wescott
Chief Meteorologist – Emergency Response Specialist
Executive Director, Geospatial Intelligence ISAC

Utility Infrastructure and Agricultural Landscapes

How are commissions, utilities, and developers are balancing land use, water conservation, and the growing demand for energy and water security to support critical utility infrastructure needs? This panel will focus on how infrastructure projects can support rural economies, address landowner concerns, and maintain reliability. Learn how collaboration and best practices can strengthen local support while ensuring essential infrastructure is developed responsibly.

(Speakers TBA)

North Star Morning Brew

Monday, July 20
10:45am – 11:15am

OPEN

Monday, July 20
11:15am – 12:15pm

OPEN

Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment

Monday, July 20
11:15am – 12:15pm

OPEN

Committee on Telecommunications

Business Meeting

Monday, July 20
11:15am – 12:15pm

OPEN

Committee on Water
Staff Subcommittee on Water

Business Meeting

Monday, July 20
11:15am – 12:15pm

OPEN

Committee on Gas

Easy Rider(s): Friend or Foe to Affordability?

Monday, July 20
11:15am – 12:15pm

OPEN

Committee on Electricity

Committee Chairs Luncheon

Monday, July 20
12:15pm – 1:45pm

CLOSED

(Invitees Only)

NARUC Committee and Staff Subcommittee Chairs

Lunch on Your Own

Monday, July 20
12:15pm – 1:45pm

OPEN

Monday, July 20
1:45pm – 2:45pm

OPEN

Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment

Monday, July 20
1:45pm – 2:45pm

OPEN

Committee on Gas

Monday, July 20
1:45pm – 2:45pm

OPEN

Committee on Telecommunications

Monday, July 20
1:45pm – 2:45pm

OPEN

Committee on Water

Business Meeting

Monday, July 20
1:45pm – 2:45pm

OPEN

Committee on Electricity

Twin Cities Afternoon Recharge

Monday, July 20
2:45pm – 3:15pm

OPEN

Monday, July 20
3:15pm – 4:15pm

OPEN

Committee on Gas

Monday, July 20
3:15pm – 4:15pm

OPEN

Committee on Water

Business Meeting

Monday, July 20
3:15pm – 4:15pm

OPEN

Committee on Telecommunications

Business Meeting

Monday, July 20
3:15pm – 4:15pm

OPEN

Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment

Love Is Blind... So Is Planning Transparency: NDAs in the Data Center Boom

Monday, July 20
3:15pm – 4:15pm

OPEN

Committee on Electricity

Commissioner Emeritus Meeting

Monday, July 20
4:15pm – 5:15pm

CLOSED

(Commissioner Emeritus Only)

MACRUC

Monday, July 20
4:15pm – 5:15pm

CLOSED

(Invitees Only)

MARC

Monday, July 20
4:15pm – 5:15pm

CLOSED

(Invitees Only)

NECPUC

Monday, July 20
4:15pm – 5:15pm

CLOSED

(Invitees Only)

SEARUC

Monday, July 20
4:15pm – 5:15pm

CLOSED

(Invitees Only)

Western

Monday, July 20
4:15pm – 5:15pm

CLOSED

(Invitees Only)

Tuesday, July 21

Commissioner-Only Breakfast

Tuesday, July 21
7:30am – 8:45am

CLOSED

(Commissioners Only)

Registration Open

Tuesday, July 21
8:30am – 4:30pm

OPEN

North Star Morning Brew

Tuesday, July 21
8:30am – 9:00am

OPEN

General Session

Tuesday, July 21
9:00am – 10:30am

OPEN

All In: Weathering the Storms Together for Grid Reliability

This panel will examine how utilities, grid operators, regulators, consumer advocates, and the Department of Energy work together to maintain grid reliability during extreme events. Discussion will focus on lessons learned from recent winter storms, the role of emergency authorities such as Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, and the importance of coordination across regions and fuel types, as well as address the issues that arise in balancing reliability, affordability, and resilience.

North Star Morning Brew

Tuesday, July 21
10:30am – 11:00am

OPEN

Tuesday, July 21
11:00am – 12:00pm

OPEN

Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment

Tuesday, July 21
11:00am – 12:00pm

OPEN

Committee on Gas

Tuesday, July 21
11:00am – 12:00pm

OPEN

Committee on Telecommunications

Tuesday, July 21
11:00am – 12:00pm

OPEN

Committee on Water

Making the Grade - State's Roles in the Transformation of Transmission Planning

Tuesday, July 21
11:00am – 12:00pm

OPEN

Committee on Electricity

Lunch on Your Own

Tuesday, July 21
12:00pm – 1:30pm

OPEN

Tuesday, July 21
1:30pm – 2:30pm

OPEN

Committee on Electricity

Tuesday, July 21
1:30pm – 2:30pm

OPEN

Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment

Tuesday, July 21
1:30pm – 2:30pm

OPEN

Committee on Gas

Tuesday, July 21
1:30pm – 2:30pm

OPEN

Committee on Telecommunications

Tuesday, July 21
1:30pm – 2:30pm

OPEN

Committee on Water

Metro Twin Cities Afternoon Recharge

Tuesday, July 21
2:30pm – 3:00pm

OPEN

General Session

Tuesday, July 21
3:00pm – 4:30pm

OPEN

Fireside Chat with Bob Frezel

A conversation between Bob Frenzel, CEO, Xcel Energy, and NARUC President Ann Rendahl

Data Centers: Converging, Emerging, and Diverging Perspectives

Data centers, AI, and load growth are now inescapable facets of state and federal authority. They’re not going anywhere. Where are we on meeting the increasing demands on the grid, on policy decisions, our economies, and physical landscapes? Or, are we still tr catching up to technology that’s rapidly evolving? Through their lens of emerging issues, status reports, and technical expertise, our series of speakers will offer unique, individual quick takes on what’s working , what’s worrisome, and what’s wrong. This dynamic session will offer much to think about well past the coffee break!

Wednesday, July 22

New Mexico State Advisory Breakfast Meeting

Wednesday, July 22
7:00am – 9:00am

CLOSED

Registration Open

Wednesday, July 22
8:30am – 10:30am

OPEN

North Star Morning Brew

Wednesday, July 22
8:30am – 9:30am

OPEN

Closing General Session

Wednesday, July 22
9:00am – 10:30am

OPEN

C-Suite Perspective on Investing in Clean, Dispatchable Generation

Utility executives from leading energy companies discuss the critical investments needed to deliver clean, reliable, and dispatchable power in an era of rising demand and decarbonization goals. This high-level panel will explore emerging technologies, project economics, regulatory challenges, and capital allocation strategies for firm clean generation — including advanced nuclear, geothermal, long-duration storage, hydro, hydrogen, and next-generation gas with CCS. Learn how utilities are balancing intermittency risks while building a resilient, affordable, and sustainable energy system for the future.

Can We Have the Best of Both Worlds? Options for Improving Affordability in an Era of Load Growth

State utility commissioners face a defining paradox: at a moment of rising customer bills and political pressure to constrain rates, the path forward must also run through investments in grid infrastructure to meet ongoing and new needs. As load growth accelerates due to electrification and data center demand, and as aging systems require modernization, utilities must deploy capital to better leverage the system we have and build the system we need; without careful regulatory design, these investments could exacerbate customer affordability challenges. Is there a path to energy abundance, economic competitiveness, and consumer affordability or are they inherently in conflict. If utility regulation aligns incentives, ensures prudent and performance-based investment, and communicates how infrastructure expansion can ultimately lower system costs over time, we could have the best of both worlds. This panel will discuss questions of how, not whether, to invest, and how to structure oversight, cost allocation, and business models so that necessary capital deployment translates into durable affordability, reliability, and public trust. Panelists will provide perspectives from utilities, financial markets, and industry organizations on how affordability considerations are shaping long-term planning, regulatory strategy, and investment decisions.

NARUC Board of Directors Meeting

Wednesday, July 22
10:45am – 12:00pm

OPEN

Advanced HVAC Technology Research Facility Tour

Wednesday, July 22
1:00pm – 4:00pm

OPEN

Daikin Applied and Center for Energy and Environment invite you to tour Daikin's new state-of-the-art Research & Development test laboratory 20 minutes from downtown Minneapolis. The site showcases Minnesota's innovative leadership in developing high-efficiency HVAC technologies, from air source heat pumps to commercial rooftop units to hyperscale data center cooling technologies. The test center has some of the most advanced research and testing equipment to ensure products are being developed to meet efficiency and sustainability specifications. Tour attendees will have the opportunity to see chambers used to test the performance and reliability of HVAC equipment at the most extreme conditions.

Daikin Applied is a subsidiary of Daikin Industries Ltd., a leading manufacturer of residential and commercial HVAC systems. Center for Energy and Environment is a nonprofit organization with decades of experience discovering and deploying effective energy solutions through program development and implementation, research, lending service, and policy advocacy. 

Register here

MISO Control Room Tour

Wednesday, July 22
1:15pm – 4:00pm

OPEN

The Midcontinent Independent Grid Operator or MISO is responsible for keeping power flowing across its region reliably and cost-effectively. MISO focuses on three critical tasks: 1) managing the flow of high-voltage electricity across 15 U.S. states and the Canadian province of Manitoba; 2) facilitating one of the world’s largest energy markets with more than $53 billion in annual transaction in 2025; and 3) planning the grid of the future.

A tour of the MISO Eagan office provides visitors with a structured overview of the Regional Transmission Operator’s role in ensuring the reliable and efficient delivery of electricity across the region. The visit begins with an introduction to MISO’s mission, governance, and operational responsibilities, followed by a detailed explanation of the systems and analytical tools used to manage real?time grid operations and energy markets. While touring the control room overlook, guests receive a comprehensive briefing on its functions and the critical activities performed by system operators. The tour concludes with an opportunity for discussion with MISO staff, offering deeper insight into the organization’s operational practices and its commitment to maintaining a resilient and dependable electric grid.

Register here