2025 Power Summit
Day 1: Monday, February 10th
The 2025 Power Summit welcomed energy leaders from across the country to Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, for three days of meaningful conversation, fresh ideas, and executive-level networking. Located just outside Jacksonville, the oceanfront setting offered sunny skies, beachfront accommodations, and a relaxed coastal backdrop for the Summit. The event officially kicked off with the Grand Opening Reception, where attendees reconnected with familiar faces, welcomed new participants, and began building relationships in a casual setting. The evening set the tone for the days ahead and reflected what makes the Power Summit unique: thoughtful conversations, exceptional experiences, and genuine connections among industry leaders.
Day 2: Tuesday, February 11th
The first full day began with breakfast, followed by opening remarks from Power Summit Founder Shannon McGriff and a founding sponsor message from Jeff Colvin, Executive Vice President of Shell Energy. The morning’s discussions focused on the unprecedented growth in electricity demand and the resulting challenges and opportunities for the energy industry. Robert Gaudette, Executive Vice President of NRG Energy, joined Andreya Shaak, Senior Vice President of VertexOne, for a fireside chat exploring the generation mix, energy efficiency, and demand-management solutions needed to support customers and strengthen the power grid. Senior leaders from MISO and PJM then took the stage for Regional Grids, National Impacts, offering their perspectives on grid reliability, market operations, infrastructure development, and the challenge of balancing regional priorities with national energy needs. The growing influence of artificial intelligence and the digital economy was examined during We’re in Our AI Era! Energy Procurement Strategies for High-Demand Industries. Leaders from Core Scientific and Digital Realty discussed managing significant load growth, price volatility, procurement demands, and sustainability goals within some of the country’s most energy-intensive industries. The morning concluded with The Energy Trilemma: Balancing Reliability, Affordability, and Sustainability. Panelists representing clean energy, manufacturing, and retail energy explored the role of policy, technology, and market forces in addressing three priorities that increasingly shape energy decisions. Following lunch, attendees stepped away from the meeting room for a selection of executive networking experiences. These smaller, more relaxed activities created opportunities to continue the day’s conversations while developing stronger personal and professional relationships. The evening ended with a Sunset Cocktail Hour, bringing attendees back together for drinks, conversation, and an opportunity to reflect on the day.
Day 3: Wednesday, February 12th
The final day began with breakfast and opening remarks from Shannon McGriff and Matt Stasium, Head of Strategic Partnerships and Sales at SmartestEnergy US. Michael Gehring, Director at The Energy Authority, opened the program with Choose Your Own Adventure, setting the stage for a morning focused on the policy, investment, and strategic decisions shaping the future of energy.In Day One Directives: Navigating Energy Policy in a New Administration, policy and market experts examined the new administration’s earliest executive actions and their potential effects on FERC, the Department of Energy, energy costs, and the broader regulatory landscape. The conversation then shifted to investment during Power Players: Private Equity and the Dynamics of Energy Investments. Leaders from Boyne Capital and Equal Ventures discussed how investors evaluate opportunities across traditional and emerging energy sectors, navigate risk, and identify businesses positioned for long-term growth. The afternoon featured the Power Summit’s interactive Executive Strategy Sessions. Attendees rotated through three small-group discussions examining bitcoin’s role as a flexible energy load, the importance of technology investments to business strategy, and approaches for navigating an increasingly complex and rapidly changing power grid. Facilitators concluded the program by sharing the most important ideas and takeaways generated during each session.
The 2025 Power Summit ended with the Power Summit Soiree, a celebratory closing reception featuring dinner, drinks, and a few unforgettable “special guests,” including an alligator, turtle, snake, and gecko! After three days of thoughtful discussions and memorable experiences, attendees left Ponte Vedra Beach with new perspectives, stronger relationships, and practical insights to carry into the year ahead.