Powering the Future

Mandana White speaks with Yannick Jacquemart of RTE on how flexibility, tariff reform, and TSO–DSO coordination are reshaping real-time grid operations in France.

Mandana White speaks with Adrien de Gottrau of Condis about the long-term risks of outsourcing substation automation. Subscribe to Smart Grid Forums for more conversations shaping the future of the power grid.

Women’s leadership in the power sector doesn’t advance by chance, but by by design, as Fatoumata Sangare of Enedis tells Mandana White on Powering the Future.

Risk today isn’t about preventing failure. It’s about making clear, collective decisions on what truly matters. Host Mandana White is joined by Tony McGrail, Solutions Director at Doble Engineering, to explore how utilities must rethink risk and prepare for a future unlike the past.

Low-voltage grids are under pressure like never before, and visibility is no longer optional. Host Mandana White speaks with SMIGHT's Dirk Ter Haar on why LV monitoring is now mission-critical and what comes next for utilities.

Turning grid digitisation from pilot projects into real, system-wide impact requires more than technology — it takes leadership, alignment, and clear KPIs. On Powering the Future, Mandana White is joined by Michael De Vivo, Head of Europe at EA Technology, to share lessons from the UK and what European utilities can apply next.

Mandana White speaks with Bas Mulder, Consultant – Digital Substations at DNV, on how digital substations are reshaping grid reliability and resilience.

Mandana White speaks with Stefan Hufnagl, Industry Specialist Energy at COPA-DATA, on virtual substations, grid expansion, and easing complexity for utilities. Visit our Website: https://www.smartgrid-forums.com Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/smartgrid-forums Contact us at: [email protected]

Mandana catches up with Kristofer Fröjd of Ellevio AB to explore why battery storage is rapidly becoming a critical element of modern grid strategy. Catch Kristofer again at SGT-26 in Paris this March, where we continue the conversation live on stage. 

Kristofer Fröjd, Senior VP of Strategy & Business Development at Ellevio AB, joins Mandana White to unpack how AI, regulation, and new tech are driving the energy transition.

Mandana White talks to Peter Hemmer of Grid to Great about how “digitise–centralise–virtualise” is transforming substation protection and control, and what it unlocks for future-ready grids.

Mandana White sits down with Ali Karademir, Co-Founder and CEO of Eutoenergy, to explore how virtualised protection and automation are reshaping the power grid. From interoperability to modernisation, discover how vPAC is redefining the future of digital substations.

Can AI make the power grid truly explainable? Svein Harald Olsen of Statnett tells Mandana White how Talk2PowerSystem uses CIM, Knowledge Graphs, and AI to turn data complexity into clarity.

Mandana White speaks with John Reilly, Head of Renewable Energy at BnM, about Ireland’s path to decarbonisation, the slow pace of renewables, and how the grid can accelerate the clean energy transition.

The Dutch grid is reaching its limits, but innovative, integrated BESS solutions could unlock a smarter, more flexible future. Jeff Kartanegara of Alliander explains to Mandana White how new models and private investment can break the gridlock.

Mandana White speaks with David Akerman and Anton Krupskii on how their solutions are driving the energy transition and what to expect at SGT26 Paris.

Powering the Future Ep22: Grid Resilience and Digital Transformation How do we modernize the grid for a renewable future? In this episode, we explore digitalization, automation, and self-healing networks that strengthen resilience and stability. From integrating distributed energy resources to navigating Europe’s regulatory landscape, discover how utilities are preparing for the challenges of tomorrow’s grid. #PoweringTheFuture #SmartGrid #DigitalTransformation #GridResilience

Can a substation really live forever? Straton Automation’s Anthony Burille joins Mandana White to unpack how virtualisation is changing the game for utilities, bringing flexibility, independence, and long-term cost savings.

From one-way power flow to a dynamic, device-driven grid, utilities face new challenges in cybersecurity and vulnerability management. SUBNET Solutions President and CEO Ameen Hamdon joins Mandana White to explore how operators can keep control in real time.

As the energy sector digitalises, cyber threats are accelerating, especially across OT systems where outages can have massive consequences. Antoine d’Haussy, Head of OT Practice EMEA at Fortinet, explains to Mandana White how utilities can build resilience through integrated IT/OT security platforms.

What does it take to keep our power grid running in sync? Sebastian Huante, Sales and Technical Engineer for IT solutions at BITSTREAM Poland, tells Mandana White why precision timing is critical for the future of energy.

In this episode, Mandana White speaks with Thomas Rightover, Head of Division Grid and Executive Board Member at CKW, about how regulation and smart grid management can turn solar expansion into a driver of stability and resilience.

Host Mandana White talks to Mihkel Härm, CEO of Elektrilevi, about how Estonia is using flexibility services to turn homes, EVs, and businesses into active grid players — and why this is key to a renewable-powered future in Europe.

Interoperability remains one of the biggest challenges in today’s power grid. Mandana White speaks with Andrea Bonetti, Senior Specialist in Relay Protection and IEC 61850 at Megger, about why legacy systems struggle to connect with modern digital tech.

AI is transforming grid management, but without strong data strategies and network model management, utilities risk falling behind.    Sally Jacquemin, VP - Power & Utilities at AspenTech DGM joins Mandana White to explore the future of renewable integration and smarter grid operations.

Can the grid learn from tech’s open-source playbook? Jonas Van den Bogaard of Alliander tells Mandana how open-source tools are helping utilities break vendor lock-in, drive innovation, and accelerate Europe’s energy transition.

As power grids go digital, are we outpacing our own ability to secure them? In this episode of Powering the Future, Mandana White speaks with Styrmir Jonsson, CISO at Landsnet, about the rising cybersecurity risks in the energy sector.

In this episode of Powering the Future, Mandana White catches up with  Jackson Moore, Application Engineer at Triangle Microworks, to demystify IEC 61850, the global standard that keeps power systems connected, secure, and future-ready.

As renewables surge, so does the need for smarter, more flexible grids. In this episode, Mandana White speaks with Davide Della Giustina of A2A about how energy storage is transforming grid flexibility—and the future of clean power.

As the world races toward clean energy, our grids are under pressure to keep pace. Smart Grid Forums CEO Mandana White speaks with Davide Della Giustina, Head of Business Development and Transformation Officer at A2A Smart Infrastructure, to find out how we're integrating renewable energy into existing power systems.

EVs are on the rise, but can our power grids keep up? In this episode of Powering the Future, Mandana White speaks with Baerte de Brey, Vice President of The European Association for Electromobility, about the real impact of electric vehicles on the grid.

She’s the driving force behind the leading technical forum for the power grid sector. In this episode, Mandana White, CEO of Smart Grid Forums, shares how she built the business, what’s keeping grid operators up at night, and the global solutions taking shape.

Mandana White sits down with Ronan McKeown, Future Networks Director at NIE Networks, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the energy workforce. 

As demand for clean energy surges, grid operators face a new challenge: attracting and retaining the next generation of engineers. In this episode, Ronan McKeown breaks down the workforce crisis gripping the energy sector. One Planet. One Power Grid 

What if AI could solve the workforce crisis in the energy sector? Mandana White talks to Leon Kuiper, Lead Data Scientist at Stedin, about how AI is being used to stabilize the grid workforce and fast-track the energy transition. One Planet. One Power Grid.

Are your grid leaders and technicians speaking the same language? Mandana White, CEO of Smart Grid Forums, sits down with Ashley Boroda, founder of Ashley Boroda Communication and Development. One Planet. One Power Grid.  

Torsten Roeglin and Dr. Mihai Paun reflect on the strategic value of SGT25—from the technologies shaping grid modernization to the high-impact conversations that happened behind the scenes. This episode offers key insights on where the industry is heading, and how to stay ahead. One planet. One power grid.

As we look ahead to SGT26, what do you want to see more of? Deeper collaboration, real-world case studies, honest conversations about what’s working (and what’s not)? In the first episode of Powering the Future, Mandana White puts these questions to leading SGT vendors Paul Van Dijk and Johan Malstrom.    One planet. One power grid.