CIGRE 2026 Paris Session set to welcome over 15,000 experts in energy systems

The CIGRE 2026 Paris Session is poised to be a monumental event, gathering approximately 15,000 experts from 100 countries. Scheduled for August 23-28, this session will feature at least 5,400 delegates and an additional 1,500 exhibitors and visitors, marking it as the largest conference in the world focused on electroenergetic systems.

CIPRIAN DIACONU, president of CIGRE Romania, emphasizes the importance of bringing together distributors from Romania to foster collaboration. He believes that Romanian engineers will continue to excel in this field, showcasing their expertise on an international platform.

The upcoming session will delve into critical topics such as the impact of artificial intelligence on electroenergetic systems and the lessons learned from recent widespread power outages. Additionally, discussions will focus on essential grid-forming technologies for integrating renewable energy, the evolution of electricity markets, and cybersecurity measures.

Notably, the exhibition at CIGRE 2026 has expanded by approximately 25% compared to two years ago, highlighting the increasing interest in technological advancements. Among the innovations presented will be the first 400-kilovolt vacuum circuit breaker and insights into cybersecurity from the Enevo Group, which will also conduct dedicated workshops and live demonstrations of their SentryOT cybersecurity platform.

Radu Opreanu will share his research on the dynamic formation of electroenergetic system zones, utilizing data from the National Dispatch Center. His findings include important insights on the decreasing inertia in electroenergetic systems due to the replacement of conventional generation capacities with renewable sources. Opreanu notes that real-time inertia estimation could greatly assist dispatchers at the National Dispatch Center.

As the CIGRE foundation continues to support research and learning projects, the upcoming session promises to be an essential gathering for industry leaders and experts, fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration on the future of energy systems.