About
America’s electric grid is not just a marvel of engineering—it’s the greatest machine ever built. But as new technologies like data centers, battery storage, and advanced power electronics become a bigger part of the system, the grid is evolving faster than ever before. These technologies can generate electrical events so rapidly that they occur in just millionths of a second, far beyond the reach of traditional power system simulators. To tackle these modern challenges and secure the reliability of our nation’s power supply, engineers are turning to a cutting-edge tool: electromagnetic transient (EMT) simulations.
EMT simulations allow engineers to study these ultra-fast electrical changes in extraordinary detail, helping them design a safer and more reliable grid. EMT studies have demonstrated greater accuracy in their ability to reproduce and understand faults in systems with increasing numbers of the inverters required in generation, transmission, storage, and loads (like data centers, variable-frequency drives in manufacturing/oil drill rigs, etc.). Collaboration among researchers, regulators, and the power industry is crucial to develop best practices using EMT modeling, combined with other methods and tools, to keep electricity flowing smoothly to customers. As the industry transitions to adopt EMT simulations, there is a need for national-scale collaborations and coordination that may be facilitated through discussions in this workshop and by identifying key research gaps, challenges, and needs for the next decade or more.
Details
Date: 18–21 August 2026
Location: Hilton Washington DC/Rockville Hotel and Executive Meeting Center
Registration: Workshop Registration
Event Description
Join us in this North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) – Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Electricity organized workshop to explore topics related to EMT simulations for large load integration and needed generation in 2026: modeling, input data structures needed, simulation software research, pre- and post-processing automation to enhance ease of usage, and processes needed to perform EMT studies in large load integration applications.
The workshop will bring together researchers, consultants, utilities, system operators, and reliability organizations to learn from recent advances and track progress in the new EMT simulation initiative launched based on input received from previous workshops, which has been initiated by DOE Office of Electricity. The initiative enables utilities, manufacturers, and researchers to work together on a shared software platform, testing real-world scenarios and “what-if” events in a purely simulated environment. By replicating electrical disruptions—such as power surges or disturbances—engineers can pinpoint vulnerabilities, reduce risks of outages, and protect critical grid equipment before real-world problems arise. This initiative is paving the way for a more reliable and future-ready grid, ensuring that America’s power system remains secure and reliable.
The workshop will also include tutorials, supported by DOE Interconnection Innovation Exchange (i2x), to enhance the knowhow on how to use and perform EMT simulations using commercial tools within the community.
Finally, participants will be able to provide feedback on the ongoing activities as well as new challenges faced as greater adoption of these simulations happen.
Call for Posters
Poster submissions are invited for the Annual Electromagnetic Transient Simulation Workshop 2026. This session is intended to highlight ongoing work, emerging ideas, and practical applications related to electromagnetic transient (EMT) simulation.
Contributions are welcomed by undergraduate and graduate students, as well as researchers and industry professionals. Topics broadly include EMT modeling, simulation methods, high-performance computing, artificial intelligence (AI) applications, and educational efforts in power systems.
Authors are asked to submit a one-page abstract for review. For the details, please see the call for the poster flyer.
Key deadlines:
- Abstract submission: June 15, 2026
- Acceptance notification: June 30, 2026
- Final poster submission: July 15, 2026