Demand for electricity is growing at the fastest pace in decades, driven by growing industrial production, heating and cooling, vehicle electrification, and the rapid expansion of data centers to feed technological advancements. At the same time, extreme weather events such as heat waves and large storms are projected to increase in frequency and intensity, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Last fall, Hurricane Helene caused more than 5 million customers in the Southeast to lose power. More recently, a massive outage in Spain and Portugal left nearly 60 million people without power with trains, traffic lights, ATMs, phone connections and internet access failing across the Iberian Peninsula. Authorities there are still searching for answers, while U.S. officials heed the warning signs.

The need to bolster and modernize the U.S. power grid has never been greater. What is needed to achieve a resilient power grid that also balances sustainability and clean energy priorities, customer affordability and creates jobs? The Gulf Region plays a critical role in the country’s energy and economic security. What progress has been made as we near the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and what vulnerabilities still exist?

Join The Hill, Congress’s trusted source for news, for a special program in New Orleans where we’ll gather leaders in federal and local government, industry and energy solutions to discuss the current energy landscape, opportunities for growth, and what’s needed to ensure a reliable energy future for our communities and the country at large.