These annual awards recognize organizations and individuals who are distinguished in their leadership in grid innovation and advancing grid modernization.
The Grid Innovator of the Year Awards recognize an electric utility, a tech solution provider and an individual who have made meaningful strides in accelerating grid innovation and bringing grid modernization to life. We take nominations using the form below. Then a panel of past winners selects our finalists and winners. All were recognized at our virtual Annual Member Meeting held on June 30, 2026.
See the announcement of the winners on June 30, 2026.
Winner: SPP has shown extraordinary leadership this year in advancing market design and enabling the next generation of grid flexibility. Through initiatives like the CPP, CHILLS and HILLS tariff frameworks, SPP has established a clear and forward-looking approach to integrating new generation and large, flexible loads while supporting reliability and economic growth across its footprint. Coupled with its innovative use of advanced technologies—including AI-enabled interconnection studies developed with partners like Hitachi and NVIDIA that aim to reduce analysis timelines by up to 80%—SPP continues to set a benchmark for faster, more efficient grid expansion.
Salt River Project (SRP) is advancing a forward-looking approach to grid modernization by redefining how residential batteries can deliver value to both customers and the grid through its Battery Partner™ program. By introducing innovative baseline and aggregation methods, SRP is working to develop a scalable model for treating distributed batteries as flexible, multi-purpose grid assets that respond dynamically to both market signals and system needs. SRP is working to demonstrate that utilities can layer grid services on top of customer bill optimization to reduce costs under TOU rates while also supporting reliability by dispatching during critical peaks.
Trico Electric Cooperative is showing how a mid-sized co-op can punch well above its weight by pursuing a bold, coordinated approach to grid modernization. In just a few years, Trico has transformed into a data-driven, member-centered utility deploying enterprise AI, building a fiber-enabled smart grid backbone, advancing DERs and microgrids, and piloting innovative demand response and electrification programs. While each initiative is notable on its own, the pace, integration, and governance behind Trico’s efforts stand out, demonstrating how smaller utilities can lead in delivering resilient, intelligent, and future-ready energy systems
Winner: Amperon was honored for helping utilities, retailers, grid operators, and energy market participants plan with greater confidence through its standout AI-powered forecasting platform. By turning complex grid, weather, and market signals into clearer demand, renewables, and price forecasts, Amperon equips the industry to navigate an increasingly dynamic and volatile energy landscape.
For over 20 years, Clean Power Research has advanced the energy transformation through innovative software solutions that enable utilities to integrate solar and distributed energy resources, streamline complex workflows, and enhance customer experiences. Today, the company applies this expertise to simplify a wide range of complex utility processes—including interconnection, large load integration, customer programs, and service requests—helping utilities keep pace with evolving grid demands and enabling a more responsive, data-driven grid.
Transmission monitoring and dynamic line rating (DLR) have been developing for decades, but in recent years Heimdall Power has been instrumental in turning these capabilities into practical, scalable solutions for utilities. Their “Neurons,” sensor units often called “magic balls,” offer a cost-effective and easy-to-deploy way to continuously monitor real-time line conditions, enabling operators to safely unlock additional transmission capacity. By combining advanced sensing with actionable analytics, Heimdall has helped accelerate DLR adoption, making it a key tool for improving grid reliability, integrating renewables, and deferring costly infrastructure upgrades.
Winner: Paul Lau is this year’s individual recipient in recognition of his nearly 45-year career at SMUD, where he championed grid modernization, clean energy innovation, and a culture of forward-thinking leadership. As CEO, he led the development of SMUD’s nation-leading 2030 Zero Carbon Plan, proving that ambitious decarbonization can go hand-in-hand with affordability and reliability. Through his pioneering work in DER integration, grid analytics, and customer-driven innovation, Paul has helped shape the future of the electric utility sector.
Energy efficiency is often overlooked as a critical grid resource, yet it remains the first line of defense in building a reliable, affordable, and low-carbon energy system. Steve Nadel has spent more than 35 years helping energy efficiency get the attention it needs and deserves. As the longtime leader of ACEEE, he spearheaded a major wave of modern efficiency policy and programs, including appliance and equipment efficiency standards, utility DSM programs, state Energy Efficiency Resource Standards (EERS), building energy codes and Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS). He helped to evaluate these policies, proving their value at scale while also embedding them into utility planning and national energy strategy. Under his leadership, the field has continued to evolve, driving the adoption of increasingly advanced, data-driven approaches that position efficiency as a core, flexible resource for the grid of the future.
While the Energy Act of 2020 may feel like a long time ago, Senator Lisa Murkowski’s leadership demonstrates how practical, bipartisan solutions can meaningfully advance grid modernization. Through her years of leadership on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, she has consistently focused on the energy system’s real, underlying needs, driving policies that strengthen grid resilience, reliability, and innovation. Her work reflects a steady commitment to bridging divides and delivering tangible progress on infrastructure critical to the nation’s energy future.
Last year’s Annual Member Meeting celebrated our 2025 Grid Innovator Award winners at the Amaterra Winery in Portland, OR. We honored Puget Sound Energy, Pano AI, and Rich Sedano for their contributions to modernize our energy system. Read the announcement here >
Utility category winner: Puget Sound Energy
Tech provider category winner: Pano AI
Individual category winner: Rich Sedano