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Canadian Institute’s 14th Annual Alberta Power Symposium brings together power producers, utilities, policymakers, Indigenous leaders and energy innovators to examine the forces reshaping Alberta’s electricity sector
CALGARY, AB — Alberta’s energy market is entering a period of significant change as rising power demand, AI data centre development, market reform and major infrastructure requirements create new challenges—and new investment opportunities—across the province.
Against this backdrop, the Canadian Institute’s 14th Annual Alberta Power Symposium, taking place October 29–30, 2026, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Calgary North, will bring together leaders from across Alberta’s power and energy sector to examine what comes next for the province’s electricity market.
The two-day program will explore some of the most consequential issues facing Alberta, including AI-driven electricity demand, the Restructured Energy Market (REM), generation and transmission capacity, renewable energy, carbon markets, Indigenous energy partnerships and emerging grid technologies.
AI and Industrial Growth Put Electricity Demand in the Spotlight
One of the biggest questions facing Alberta is how the province can capitalize on new economic opportunities while ensuring its electric grid can meet the demand.
AI data centres will feature prominently in the program, including a session examining their role in Alberta’s power market. Speakers will address power capacity, off-grid generation options, sustainable cooling and the different load requirements associated with edge data centres and hyperscale facilities.
An industry leaders panel will broaden the discussion on Alberta’s overall power market, bringing together perspectives on power prices, consumer expectations, regulatory frameworks, the REM and the impact of data centre development on electricity demand.
Grid Capacity, Transmission and Market Reform Take Centre Stage
Meeting rising electricity demand will require more than additional generation.
The agenda examines how Alberta can strengthen transmission, improve system resilience and better leverage existing grid resources. Sessions will explore expanded interties with neighbouring provinces, demand-side management and technologies capable of unlocking distributed energy resources and grid-edge capacity. The program will also examine the national push to expand Canada’s electricity infrastructure, including how the system can scale while maintaining affordability for households and businesses.
Renewables, Carbon Markets and the Future Energy Mix
Renewable energy remains an important part of Alberta’s evolving generation mix. A dedicated session will assess the state of renewable energy in the province, the regulatory environment required to advance new technologies, energy storage and the potential role of nuclear power.
The program will also tackle uncertainty surrounding carbon markets and its implications for project economics, emissions-reduction technologies and investment certainty.
Indigenous Leadership and Energy Development
Indigenous participation is another central theme.
Sessions will examine Indigenous ownership of utility-scale renewable projects and microgrids, effective partnership models, project bankability and the creation of long-term economic opportunities. A pre-conference workshop on October 28 will go deeper into structuring equity-driven energy deals, including joint ventures, project equity, financing and sustainable industry-Indigenous partnerships. Attendees can also participate in a pre-conference visit to Capital Power’s Strathmore Solar Farm, a 40.5 MW facility on 320 acres near Calgary and adjacent to the
AltaLink Strathmore Substation. Transportation is included.
Hear from Leaders Across Alberta’s Energy Sector
The 2026 faculty brings together perspectives from government, utilities, energy producers, finance, technology and Indigenous leadership.
Featured speakers include Hon. RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Affordability and Utilities, Government of Alberta; Scott McCrae, Senior Vice President, ENMAX Energy; Matthew O’Regan, Manager, Energy Management, Pembina Pipeline Corporation; Dale Swampy, President, National Coalition of Chiefs; Janice Tran, CEO, Kanin Energy; Heather MacKenzie, Executive Director, Solar Alberta; and Kevin Thompson, Senior Manager, Government & Regulatory Affairs, Direct Energy.
The conference is co-chaired by Bill Gilliland, Partner, Dentons Canada LLP, and Shanelle Sinclair, Director, Law & Regulatory Compliance, AltaLink.
Event Details
14th Annual Alberta Power Symposium
October 29–30, 2026
Pre-Conference Workshop & Site Tour: October 28
DoubleTree by Hilton Calgary North | Calgary, Alberta
Exclusive EnergyNow Reader Offer: EnergyNow readers receive 10% off the conference registration fee when they register using promo code D10-337-ENERGYNOW.
View the full agenda and register: CanadianInstitute.com/AlbertaPower
Sponsorship Opportunities
Organizations looking to build visibility and connect with senior decision-makers across Alberta’s power and energy sector can explore sponsorship opportunities associated with the Symposium.
For sponsorship information, contact Ken Glass, MBA, Senior Business Development Manager, at 416-998-8883 or [email protected].
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