2026

Updates in Gas and Power

Navigating Energy, Reliability, and Data Center Growth

STUDIO WEBCAST Oct 22, 2026 $155 Individual

Overview

2026 Updates in Gas and Power - 9:15 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (3.25 hr)
Join us to hear the latest and most essential updates impacting the gas and power industry this year. This year's updates focus on data center development, including power and natural gas needs, co-location, commercial needs, and other big picture review of the development process. Also, hear about the reliability assessment for ERCOT and a general state of the market update.

9:20 a.m. to 9:50 a.m. (0.50 hr)

Keynote: Energy Shock—A Rapidly Evolving Energy Landscape.

Kenneth B. Medlock III, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University - Houston, TX

9:55 a.m. to 10:25 a.m. (0.50 hr)

Data Center Development: Power and Natural Gas Needs

Brandon Lobb, Troutman Pepper Locke - Houston, TX

10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. (0.50 hr)

Data Center Development: Co-Location

Power supply presents a data center buildout challenge; projects must frequently navigate grid interconnection delays, reliability risks, and grid power cost. Developers are increasingly exploring, and policy makers are encouraging, co-location alternatives. These “bring your own generation” configurations pair a data center with a dedicated generation source (sometimes including storage) to augment or replace grid power sources. We discuss the benefits and costs of co-location developments, strategies for developing them successfully, and how and when such projects may also integrate grid connections to provide enhanced flexibility.

Moderator

Chris Reeder, Husch Blackwell LLP - Austin, TX

Panelists

Scott Baron, Acciona & Nordex Green Hydrogen - Chicago, IL

Paul Martin, Focus Clean Energy - Boulder, CO

11:05 a.m. to 11:35 a.m. (0.50 hr)

Trending Issues in Developing Data Centers

Data center development is exploding and the contractual, regulatory and legal aspects are likewise changing rapidly. This presentation analyzes some of these issues and trends confronting attorneys working on data center development projects.

Craig R. Enochs, Reed Smith LLP - Houston, TX

Carolyn E. Shellman, Butler Snow LLP - Austin, TX

11:40 a.m. to 12:25 p.m. (0.75 hr)

Data Center Development: Big Picture Review of Needs and Other Concerns that Arise in the Development Process

As digital infrastructure expands at an unprecedented pace, building a data center involves far more than constructing a facility filled with servers. This presentation provides a look at the entire data center development lifecycle—from site selection to operational readiness, balancing complex technical requirements with emerging community and financial concerns, taking lessons from the deep history of infrastructure development in the electricity industry.

Shawn Cumberland, EnCap Energy Transition - Houston, TX

David Haug, Bildmore - Houston, TX

12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. (0.50 hr)

Reliability Assessment for ERCOT in the Age of Large Load Uncertainty

Winter Storm Uri shifted the focus of resource adequacy from hot summer days to cold winter nights, and ERCOT redesigned its reliability assessment as a result. How reliable is the grid today? What impacts are battery energy storage and solar having on grid reliability, and what will be the impact from new proposed large data-centers?

Warren Lasher, Lasher Energy Consulting - TX

If you cannot watch the entire webcast at its scheduled time, register now and view the recorded eCourse when it is available in “Your Briefcase” after the webcast. Earn CLE credit (in TX and CA) on your time!

Event Schedule

Program is subject to change.
All times are Central Time Zone.

Time

Credit

Subject

Speaker
Thursday Morning, Oct. 22, 2026
Presiding Officer:
Chris Reeder, Husch Blackwell LLP - Austin, TX
9:15 am

Welcoming Remarks
9:20 am

0.50 hr

Keynote: Energy Shock—A Rapidly Evolving Energy Landscape

Kenneth B. Medlock III, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University - Houston, TX

Kenneth B. Medlock III, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University - Houston, TX
9:50 am

5-Minute Break
9:55 am

0.50 hr

Data Center Development: Power and Natural Gas Needs

Brandon Lobb, Troutman Pepper Locke - Houston, TX

Brandon Lobb, Troutman Pepper Locke - Houston, TX
10:25 am

5-Minute Break
10:30 am

0.50 hr

Data Center Development: Co-Location

Power supply presents a data center buildout challenge; projects must frequently navigate grid interconnection delays, reliability risks, and grid power cost. Developers are increasingly exploring, and policy makers are encouraging, co-location alternatives. These “bring your own generation” configurations pair a data center with a dedicated generation source (sometimes including storage) to augment or replace grid power sources. We discuss the benefits and costs of co-location developments, strategies for developing them successfully, and how and when such projects may also integrate grid connections to provide enhanced flexibility.

Moderator:
Chris Reeder, Husch Blackwell LLP - Austin, TX
Panelists:
Scott Baron, Acciona & Nordex Green Hydrogen - Chicago, IL
Paul Martin, Focus Clean Energy - Boulder, CO

Moderator:
Chris Reeder, Husch Blackwell LLP - Austin, TX
Panelists:
Scott Baron, Acciona & Nordex Green Hydrogen - Chicago, IL
Paul Martin, Focus Clean Energy - Boulder, CO
11:00 am

5-Minute Break
11:05 am

0.50 hr

Trending Issues in Developing Data Centers

Data center development is exploding and the contractual, regulatory and legal aspects are likewise changing rapidly. This presentation analyzes some of these issues and trends confronting attorneys working on data center development projects.

Craig R. Enochs, Reed Smith LLP - Houston, TX
Carolyn E. Shellman, Butler Snow LLP - Austin, TX

Craig R. Enochs, Reed Smith LLP - Houston, TX
Carolyn E. Shellman, Butler Snow LLP - Austin, TX
11:35 am

5-Minute Break
11:40 am

0.75 hr

Data Center Development: Big Picture Review of Needs and Other Concerns that Arise in the Development Process

As digital infrastructure expands at an unprecedented pace, building a data center involves far more than constructing a facility filled with servers. This presentation provides a look at the entire data center development lifecycle—from site selection to operational readiness, balancing complex technical requirements with emerging community and financial concerns, taking lessons from the deep history of infrastructure development in the electricity industry.

Shawn Cumberland, EnCap Energy Transition - Houston, TX
David Haug, Bildmore - Houston, TX

Shawn Cumberland, EnCap Energy Transition - Houston, TX
David Haug, Bildmore - Houston, TX
12:25 pm

5-Minute Break
12:30 pm

0.50 hr

Reliability Assessment for ERCOT in the Age of Large Load Uncertainty

Winter Storm Uri shifted the focus of resource adequacy from hot summer days to cold winter nights, and ERCOT redesigned its reliability assessment as a result. How reliable is the grid today? What impacts are battery energy storage and solar having on grid reliability, and what will be the impact from new proposed large data-centers?

Warren Lasher, Lasher Energy Consulting - TX

Warren Lasher, Lasher Energy Consulting - TX
1:00 pm

Presentations Conclude

Download Schedule

Conference Faculty

Scott Baron

Acciona & Nordex Green Hydrogen
Chicago, IL

Shawn Cumberland

EnCap Energy Transition
Houston, TX

Craig R. Enochs

Reed Smith LLP
Houston, TX

David Haug

Bildmore
Houston, TX

Warren Lasher

Lasher Energy Consulting
TX

Brandon Lobb

Troutman Pepper Locke
Houston, TX

Paul Martin

Focus Clean Energy
Boulder, CO

Kenneth B. Medlock III

Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University
Houston, TX

Chris Reeder

Husch Blackwell LLP
Austin, TX

Carolyn E. Shellman

Butler Snow LLP
Austin, TX

Planning Committee

John K. Arnold

Troutman Pepper Locke
Houston, TX

Craig R. Enochs

Reed Smith LLP
Houston, TX

Monica Hwang

White & Case LLP
Houston, TX

Diana M. Liebmann

Haynes Boone, LLP
San Antonio, TX

Chris Reeder

Husch Blackwell LLP
Austin, TX

Carolyn E. Shellman

Butler Snow LLP
Austin, TX

Credit Info

STUDIO WEBCAST

MCLE Credit

Texas – 3.25 hrs

You may claim your credit online in Your Briefcase, and UT Law CLE will report credit on your behalf to the State Bar of Texas. A Certificate of Completion will be emailed to you upon claiming credit. The system reports Texas CLE credit every Tuesday. If you are claiming credit in the last week of your birth month, self-report your CLE credit directly to the State Bar of Texas at texasbar.com, using the course number provided on your certificate of attendance.

California – 3.25 hrs

To claim California MCLE credit, California credit option must be selected PRIOR to viewing the live webcast. This accreditation requires attendance verification. UT Law CLE monitors and records attendee responses to questions that randomly appear during the live webcast presentation. Verification pop-ups will NOT display when the webcast video player is in "full screen" mode. Furthermore, the notification sound effect alerting pop-ups, will NOT play on mobile devices. We recommend viewing from a computer, as opposed to a mobile device, should MCLE credit, other than Texas, be needed. The response record is detailed on the Certificate of Completion.
You must claim your credit online in Your Briefcase, and will then be provided a Certificate of Attendance for your records. UT Law CLE is required to provide the State Bar with electronic attendance records for any MCLE participatory activity within 60 days of completion of the activity. The California licensee is responsible for reporting their compliance/credit hours earned to the State Bar at the end of their reporting period directly to the State Bar of California at calbar.ca.gov. UT Law CLE will maintain Attendance Records for four years.

MCLE credit is presented based on a 60-minute credit hour.

Oklahoma – 4.00 hrs

To claim Oklahoma MCLE credit, Oklahoma credit option must be selected PRIOR to viewing the live webcast. This accreditation requires attendance verification. UT Law CLE monitors and records attendee responses to questions that randomly appear during the live webcast presentation. Verification pop-ups will NOT display when the webcast video player is in "full screen" mode. Furthermore, the notification sound effect alerting pop-ups, will NOT play on mobile devices. We recommend viewing from a computer, as opposed to a mobile device, should MCLE credit, other than Texas, be needed. The response record is detailed on the Certificate of Completion.

The University of Texas School of Law (Provider #169) live webcast presentations meet the requirements and are presumptively approved by the Oklahoma Bar Association for MCLE credit based on a 50-minute credit hour. Upon claiming credit, a Certificate of Completion will be emailed to you. UT Law CLE will report credit on your behalf to the Oklahoma Bar Association within 30 days after the webcast.

Pennsylvania – 3.00 hrs

To claim Pennsylvania MCLE credit, Pennsylvania credit option must be selected PRIOR to viewing the live webcast. This accreditation requires attendance verification. UT Law CLE monitors and records attendee responses to questions that randomly appear during the live webcast presentation. Verification pop-ups will NOT display when the webcast video player is in "full screen" mode. Furthermore, the notification sound effect alerting pop-ups, will NOT play on mobile devices. We recommend viewing from a computer, as opposed to a mobile device, should MCLE credit, other than Texas, be needed. The response record is detailed on the Certificate of Completion.

UT Law CLE is an approved provider of Pennsylvania credit, sponsor #236. Attorney attendance will be reported to Pennsylvania within 2 weeks after credit is claimed and submitted. Attorneys are not able to report this credit on their own, and UT Law CLE pays all associated fees for the credit hours. Contact us at accreditation@utcle.org if you have additional questions.

MCLE credit is presented based on a 60-minute credit hour.

Other States – Expected – 3.25 hrs

Note on Self-Reporting Your Credits in Another State

If you wish to satisfy MCLE or other professional education requirements in another state for a program offered by the University of Texas School of Law, please check with the state bar or other licensing authority in that state to ensure it will qualify for self-reporting your credits.

To claim Other States MCLE credit, Other States credit option must be selected PRIOR to viewing the live webcast. You must claim and certify your credit online in Your Briefcase, you will then be provided a Certificate of Attendance for your records and to provide to other licensing authorities as needed.

This accreditation requires attendance verification. UT Law CLE monitors and records attendee responses to questions that randomly appear during the live webcast presentation. The response record is detailed on the Certificate of Completion.

MCLE credit is presented based on a 60-minute credit hour.

Key Dates

STUDIO WEBCAST – Oct 22, 2026

STUDIO WEBCAST

Individual
$155.00

Cancellation Policy
Last day for full refund cancellation: Oct 16, 2026
$0 processing fee applied after this date
Last day for cancellation: Oct 19, 2026