CIGRE Session 2026 - Call for papers

PS 1: Rotating electrical machines and the energy transition

• Impact of the energy transition on the role, duty and flexible operation of rotating electrical machines
• Eco-design and sustainability
• Update of international standards for electrical machine requirements to reflect future applications

PS 2: New machine developments

• Technology developments for wind generators, variable speed pump-storage, synchronous compensators and SMR applications
• Improvements in design, manufacture, efficiency, insulation, cooling, bearings and materials
• Enhancements in the performance, reliability and control of rotating electrical machines

PS 3: Asset management and new challenges

• Digital twin:  Condition monitoring, diagnosis, prognosis of rotating electrical machines including the use of artificial intelligence, deep learning techniques, Industry 5.x requirements
• Improved maintenance practices to ensure power supply reliability
• Extending operational performance and service life of installed base

PS 1: Major challenges to the Power transformer industry

• Impact of ageing fleet, new operating requirements and climate changes on the design, maintenance and reliability.
• Strategies to mitigate supply chain disruptions and skilled labor shortages.
• Sustainability (with C3) and Life Management: Transformer economics, Life Cycle Costing, Asset management practices, Eco-design. Life Cycle Assessment, circular economy.

 PS 2 : Power Transformer Digitalisation Journey

• User experiences, challenges and solutions with transformer data management: data collection,  processing, exchange with different stakeholders/systems, confidentiality, and security.
• Innovative digital solutions for monitoring, diagnostics, modeling, designing, manufacturing, testing, maintenance and operation of transformers.

PS 3: Failure prevention, detection and investigation

• Detailed case histories of failures including examples such as component issues, short-circuits, moisture, dielectric breakdowns, paper degradation, material compatibility problems, etc.
• Guidelines for conducting investigations: Root Cause Analysis (RCA) including testing and troubleshooting procedures.
• Predictive maintenance: Best practices for monitoring, diagnostics, and prognostics.

PS 1: Transformation of T&D assets for evolving grid conditions

• Innovative current limiting solutions for distribution & transmission networks
• Innovation in and field experience of T&D equipment  to enhance system flexibility, resilience, stability and connectivity
• Application of T&D equipment in meshed DC-grids

 PS 2: Sustainability and circular economy of T&D equipment

• Use of recycled material and refurbished components in T&D equipment
• Alternatives to SF6 and field experience in applications; impact of PFAS regulations on T&D equipment design
• Impact of low power instrument transformers and smart sensors

PS 3: Asset Management strategies for T&D equipment

• Integration of sensors in T&D Equipment for enhanced monitoring
• Efficient data management and information sharing for T&D condition assessment
• Utilizing digital twins, IoT, and AI for T&D equipment management

PS 1: Future cable systems and innovative cable applications.

• Cable systems challenges and solutions such as floating applications/deep water, meshed DC grids, overhead-line/substation interfaces 
• New developments on materials, design and construction challenges such as super-conducting solutions, hydrogen inclusion, high temperature / electric stress, very large conductors and cost-effectiveness
• Intelligence into cables. Integration of sensor technologies, real-time use of data, predictive maintenance, use of robotics, dynamic management of load demands, digital twins, data use for BIM implementation 

PS 2: Recent experience with AC and DC cables, both land and submarine

• Quality, monitoring, condition assessment, diagnostic testing, after installation testing, fault location, upgrading and uprating methodologies and relevant management
• Lessons learned from permitting, consent, interface management cables to other equipment/device/substations and safety issues
• Experiences with new test requirements and new tools for cable ratings calculation 

PS 3: Environmental impact and cable lifecycle

• Development in more sustainable materials and production methods, recover, recycle, reuse of cable materials and SF6 alternatives
• Best practices in LCA and environmental certification
• Environmental impact of cable systems with regards to climate change

PS 1 : OHL modernization and emerging technologies

• Uprating or upgrading existing lines including conductors replacement and associated towers modifications and foundations reinforcement and other line components and technologies
• Accelerating the design and construction of new lines, reducing the cost and the manpower required in view of scarcity of skilled workforce and expertise
• Preassembled overhead line components, manless installation of overhead line components

PS 2 : Health assessment and refurbishment of OHL

• Remaining life of assets, increasing the life of assets, and refurbishment of OHL
• Reduced maintenance and operation costs, evaluate durability and maintenance costs
• Monitoring, predictive maintenance and digital twins

PS 3: Sustainability and climate change impacts (with C3)

• Impact and strategies in response to climate change and extreme events such as extreme winds, icing, wild fires and floods
• Environmental and social compliance challenges for OHL, life cycle assessment analysis,and carbon footprint

PS 1 : Innovative substation concepts, designs and operation experience

• Experience with digital design, training tools using 3D software, AI and machine learning
• Modular substations and prefabricated material design methods for all voltage classes
• UHV or HVDC operational experience with renewables for onshore and offshore substations

PS 2:  Life cycle & asset management

• Monitoring, diagnostics and testing equipment to improve energy efficiency and functionality to reduce C02 as well as improve resiliency   
• Substation up-rating, upgrading experience and operation concepts
• Asset management strategies including optimised maintenance, SF6 transitions and improve resiliency

PS 3 : Grid transformation and new reliability threats

• Physical security designs and experience
• Substation designs ,upgrades and concepts to mitigate severe weather
• Experience building substations to connect large customers such as data centers, reliably and safely

PS 1 : DC equipment and systems

• Planning, design, performance, testing and commissioning of DC equipment and systems including point to point, multiterminal and DC grids, especially offshore DC systems
• Refurbishment and upgrade of existing DC systems
• Service and operating experience of DC converter stations and systems especially VSC based DC systems and offshore DC systems

PS 2:  FACTS and power electronics (PE)

• Planning, design, performance, testing and commissioning of FACTS and other PE devices including inverter-based generation
• Refurbishment and upgrade of existing FACTS and other PE devices
• Service and operating experience

PS 3:  New technologies and concepts of DC and FACTS enabling energy transition

• New technologies/concepts to address network issues such as application of synchronous grid forming converters, multi-vendor interoperability, standardisation.
• New concepts, technologies and design of DC converters and PE devices for both transmission and distribution systems including interfacing generation and storage to the network, energy hubs/islands, etc.

PS 1 : Knowledge management in the field of protection, automation, control, metering and monitoring

• Knowledge and skills and their preservation
• Education, training and life-long learning of students, young professionals, academics and manufacturer and utility personnel
• Platforms, methodology, tools and support for documentation and educational delivery

 PS 2 : Protection and control in networks with unconventional sources

• Best practices and regulatory and performance requirements for protection and control in networks dominated by unconventional sources, including wind and solar generation, battery storage, HVDC links and other converter-based devices
• Lessons learned and field experience with protection and control in networks dominated by unconventional sources, including fault-ride through and transient behaviour
• New developments in protection and fault response control of unconventional sources

PS 1 : Holistic planning of an integrated energy system for the energy transition

• Sustainable scenarios encompassing gases, heat, mobility, IT (data centres) as loads and as flexibility sources
• Planning methodologies and modelling targeting net zero while ensuring adequacy of resources and increased resilience 
• Prioritisation of asset management plan and allocation of capital, including role of private investments in transmission networks

PS 2 : Strategic investment decisions in the context of the energy transition

• Optimal portfolio mix of transmission, generation, storage and non-wire solutions for ensuring adequacy, resilience and flexibility, and relevant governance framework
• Investment economics and risk analysis in the new energy landscape
• Sustainable asset management practices, especially for aging infrastructures

PS 3: Planning the cyber-physical system

• Impact of digitalisation on power system planning: role of AI, digital twins, big data
• Integration of physical, cyber and electrical security with asset management techniques
• Case studies of successful applications of modelling and digital tools in power system planning

PS 1 : Advanced decision support, training and skills for control room personnel

• New requirements for personnel skills, procedures and tools
• Digitalization and use of artificial intelligence for enhancing decision support
• Operational procedures, tools and processes for operating grids during extreme events

PS 2 : Maintaining operational reliability through flexibility

• Methods to identify and quantify system services in response to the energy transition
• Operational experience with flexibility services, including demand side response, topology changes, sector coupling and results from pilots

PS 3 : Power system dynamics and control in operations

• Operational experience with managing power system stability, including oscillations
• Monitoring and control of power system dynamics in the control room, including wide area systems
• Impact of adverse interactions between power electronics interfaced devices on system operations

PS 1: Biodiversity conservation & enhancement. Towards positive contribution.

• Mitigating the impact from power system infrastructure: new renewable generation facilities, transmission and distribution. Preventive and corrective measures: nature inclusive design, commissioning, asset management and end of life.
• Offsetting measures & ecosystems restauration. Net Zero impact and positive impact. How to measure?
• New standards regarding biodiversity. i.e. IPBES; TCNFD.

PS 2: Building a more sustainable power system for the future

• Identification, quantification and assessment of impacts. Tools and methodologies. LCA approach, considering climate change and beyond.
• Eco-design to reduce impacts
• Innovative solutions to enhance circularity.

 PS 3: Disclosing sustainability

• Reporting standards & regulation. Indicators.
• −Stakeholder reporting requirements. Impact of disclosure on social perception and acceptance.
• Value chain information, strategies and methodologies to obtain complete and reliable information.

PS 1: Power system stability aspects of decarbonisation of power systems and the road to net-zero

• Emerging tools and methods for plant and system-wide stability analysis, model validation, advanced data analytics, screening and performance monitoring.
• Power system stability impact of new technologies including storage, large scale inverter-based generators, inverter-based loads, network elements and control methods (e.g. grid forming). Development of appropriate specifications.
• Dynamic phenomena impacting  power systems stability - e.g. wide-area, local interactions and forced oscillations.  
• Demystifying system strength: definition, metrics, impact on power systems, experiences, challenges and solutions.

PS 2: Power quality (PQ) and electromagnetic compatibility/interference (EMC/EMI) aspects of decarbonisation of power systems and the road to net-zero

• Modeling and simulation for assessment of PQ and EMC phenomena and mitigation strategies in meshed transmission systems.
• Experiences with PQ issues in IBR dominated systems and use of advanced data analytics to investigate trends. Approaches for allocation of PQ limits and compliance processes.
• Experiences with EMI for large inverter-based generators and loads and interference between the power system (AC or DC) and pipelines and telecom systems.

PS 3: Insulation co-ordination and lightning research: paving the way to net-zero in decarbonised power systems

• Future of insulation co-ordination for AC, DC and hybrid systems.
• Improvement of lightning detection systems with a focus to enhance power system reliability.
• Lightning protection designs and accepted risk of damage to IBRs, including the impact of thunderstorms and extreme weather events.

PS 1: Market designs and non-market approaches to support the energy transition

• Ensuring resource adequacy and supporting investment decisions
• Cost allocation for the energy transition: who owns and who pays
• Tradeoffs between markets and regulatory approaches

PS 2: Developing reliable price signals and regulations across the value chain

• Tools and approaches for markets to withstand adverse events and shocks
• Consistent end-to-end price signals to integrate emerging technologies, distributed energy resources and energy communities

PS 3: Applying practical experiences to emerging issues

• Integrating various electricity markets with emission reduction approaches and long-term contracts
• Market designs and products to deal with increasing short-term uncertainty
• Data analytics in electricity markets, market surveillance and transparency

PS 1 : Enabling flexibility in distribution networks

• Impact of and grid services provision by energy storage systems and energy conversion units e.g.  hydrogen, in distribution systems
• The role of energy communities, aggregators and virtual power plants to enhance the flexibility of distribution networks
• Risk appetite in times of network congestion and the balance between flexibility procurement and stretching operational limits

 PS 2 : Planning and operations for 2030 and beyond in active distribution systems

• The impact of transformational changes to planning objectives and criteria, with accelerated electrification, new electric loads and customer behaviours
• Electric vehicle integration and further evolving technology impacts on the distribution system
• The role of the DSO to manage and plan the system operations and to improve network resilience of distribution networks, considering customer affordability

PS 3 : Rural and industrial electrification standards, practices and technology options

• Microgrid and multi-microgrid installations, including industry networks
• Off-grid and island DER applications including appropriate resilience measures
• Applications highlighting the connection of the last mile of rural electrification projects

PS 1: Testing, monitoring and diagnostics

• Testing and condition monitoring for reliability in conventional high voltage systems and power electronics applications.
• Understanding of space charge and PD behaviour under AC, DC, rectifier, and impulse stress.
• Advances in knowledge rules and tools for improved diagnostics including ML, AI, explainable AI (XAI) etc. considering multiple data sources or contextual information.

PS 2: Materials for electrotechnical purposes and modelling

• Ageing of materials under electrical, mechanical or thermal stresses and associated ageing markers.
• Modelling materials and field simulations under AC, DC and composite voltages.
• Application of novel materials and processes; eco-friendly and recycled materials, materials to enable energy storage or cryogenic systems, additive manufacturing etc.

PS 3: Measurements and modelling of interfaces

• Understanding interfacial behaviour through experiments at any scale between the nano- and macro-scale.
• Modelling electric field, magnetic field, or charge dynamics at interfaces.
• Assessing material compatibility of used and unaged materials.

PS 1: Extracting value from information and data through decision support tools and techniques in managing the increasing complexity of power grids

• Predictive analytics techniques to forecast generation from renewable sources/distributed energy resources
• Case studies and guidelines for AI application in power system operation and planning
• Development of AI and machine learning models for real-time and predictive grid optimisation

PS 2: Comprehensive approaches to managing cybersecurity in energy applications

• Cybersecurity compliance, obligations, regulations and legislations in the energy sector, including cybersecurity organisational processes, technical measures, standards, and certifications.
• Integrated solutions for physical and cyber threat detection platforms to support asset and incident management, including artificial intelligence techniques
• New strategies and approaches for protecting energy infrastructures and sensitive data against cyber threats

PS 3: Next-generation telecommunications technologies to support grid decarbonisation and digitalisation

• Optimised migration approach from legacy to packet networks to support mission-critical power systems services
• Next-generation technologies in enhancing coverage and resilience of wireless communication networks for power systems.
• Telecommunications technologies and techniques for a highly resilient and mission-critical power system.