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The Rethink frame
Rethink Electricity stands on its own: a focused Paris programme on Speed to Power, low-cost energy, and the infrastructure required to serve AI and computing at scale.
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Paris, France · International Rethinking Electricity Forum (IREF)
LET THERE
BE POWER
Rethink Electricity is the executive forum from the International Rethinking Electricity Forum (IREF) for scaling electric power to AI, computing, and IT facilities in a new way: faster, larger, lower-cost for society, and built for the sustainability expectations of the next economy.
Speed to Power · Lowest-cost energy · GIGA-scale compute · AND solutions
Date
August 25, 2026
Venue
Le Méridien, room Wagram 2
Programme window
2:30–7:00 PM
Guest overview
An executive forum for the power-to-compute era.
A concise guide for CEOs, energy leaders, policymakers, invited guests, and strategic partners tracking the rooms where Speed to Power, lowest-cost energy, and GIGA-scale compute converge.
Programme
Public schedule, speaker context, room details, and guest logistics gathered in one place.
The frame
Rethink Electricity sets its own frame: Speed to Power is the theme; low-cost energy is the economic driver.
Paris rhythm
Hospitality, timing, and place carry the programme from forum thesis to working AND solutions.
Executive metric
Speed to PowerEconomic driver
Lowest-cost energyDemand shape
GIGA-scale computeOperating frame
AND solutionsForum brief
Speed to electric power for GIGA-scale compute — without forcing false choices.
Speed to Power is the theme; low-cost energy drives the economy. This Rethink Electricity forum brings senior leaders into a focused conversation on hyper-scaling electricity to AI and computing facilities while reducing economic burden and improving sustainability.
Paris · August 25, 2026
Le Méridien, room Wagram 2 · registration from 2:30 PM; programme begins at 2:45 PM.
Context: CIGRE Session Week, Paris, August 23-28, 2026.
Forum details
Date
August 25, 2026
Arrival
2:30 PM
Program
2:45–7:00 PM
Venue
Le Méridien, room Wagram 2
Dress
Business
Org
International Rethinking Electricity Forum (IREF)
Le Méridien, room Wagram 2
Forum [81 Boulevard Gouvion Saint-Cyr, 75017 Paris] Map
Dress code: Business. The forum runs continuously from registration through the 7:00 PM close.
Forum thesis
01
Speed to Power is the metric.
The Paris theme is Speed to Power: AI, computing, industrial growth, and strategic infrastructure all compress around one question — how quickly can dependable electric power reach the load?
02
Low-cost energy drives the economy.
The lowest sustainable energy cost lowers production costs, attracts industry, protects consumers, creates jobs, and compounds national competitiveness.
03
Better design delivers all three.
The forum is built on a conviction: the right policy and engineering choices deliver speed, affordability, and resilience together — not at each other's expense. Speed, affordability, and resilience are not opposing forces — they're outcomes of better design choices. The forum exists to surface those choices and turn them into commitments.
The programme
A field guide for Speed to Power conversations in Paris.
A public guest map for forum timing, speaker context, room logistics, and programme updates focused on energy cost, compute growth, infrastructure speed, and sustainability.
02
The public program
Forum sessions, speaker context, and room logistics stay centered on the AND frame: faster power, lower societal cost, stronger reliability, and sustainability.
03
The next move
The public programme closes by translating the forum's executive thesis into practical next steps.
Room ledger
Public schedule for Tuesday, August 25, 2026.
The full public forum sequence, including every speaker session and audience Q&A, is organized below.
2:30–7:00 PM
The public forum concludes at 7:00 PM at Le Méridien, room Wagram 2.
01
Arrival
2:30–2:45 PM
15 min
Registration & Welcome Coffee
Guest arrivalGuest arrival, badge pickup, and welcome coffee before the forum opens.
Speaker / Lead
Hosts & venue staffVenue
Le Méridien, room Wagram 202
Opening
2:45–2:50 PM
5 min
MC Opening Remarks + Housekeeping
OpeningOfficial start, opening frame, and practical guidance for the afternoon.
Speaker / Lead
Andre Canelhas & Phil Harris (MC)Venue
Le Méridien, room Wagram 203
Welcome
2:50–3:00 PM
10 min
Welcome Address
WelcomeOpening welcome from CIGRE leadership.
Speaker / Lead
Michel Augonnet · CIGRE PresidentVenue
Le Méridien, room Wagram 204
Keynote
3:00–3:15 PM
15 min
Keynote: Rethinking Electricity - A Global Imperative
KeynoteThe opening keynote establishes the global imperative for rethinking electricity.
Speaker / Lead
Gideon Powell · Cholla Inc.Venue
Le Méridien, room Wagram 205
Q&A
3:15–3:30 PM
15 min
Q&A - Gideon Powell
Audience Q&AAudience questions following the opening keynote.
Speaker / Lead
MC-facilitatedVenue
Le Méridien, room Wagram 206
Session
3:30–3:45 PM
15 min
Searching for AND Solutions
Forum sessionSpeed to Power and low-cost energy through the AND-solutions frame.
Speaker / Lead
Phil HarrisVenue
Le Méridien, room Wagram 207
Q&A
3:45–4:00 PM
15 min
Q&A - Phil Harris
Audience Q&AAudience questions following Searching for AND Solutions.
Speaker / Lead
MC-facilitatedVenue
Le Méridien, room Wagram 208
Session
4:00–4:15 PM
15 min
Emerging Solutions for Grid Efficiency
Forum sessionPractical and emerging approaches to a more efficient electric grid.
Speaker / Lead
Andre CanelhasVenue
Le Méridien, room Wagram 209
Q&A
4:15–4:30 PM
15 min
Q&A - Andre Canelhas
Audience Q&AAudience questions following Emerging Solutions for Grid Efficiency.
Speaker / Lead
MC-facilitatedVenue
Le Méridien, room Wagram 210
Break
4:30–5:00 PM
30 min
Afternoon Coffee Break
Coffee breakAfternoon coffee is served at the back of Wagram 2.
Speaker / Lead
Venue hospitalityVenue
Le Méridien, room Wagram 211
Session
5:00–5:15 PM
15 min
The Value of Affordable Electricity to an Economy
Forum sessionHow affordable electricity supports economic strength and competitiveness.
Speaker / Lead
Julia Frayer · London EconomicsVenue
Le Méridien, room Wagram 212
Q&A
5:15–5:30 PM
15 min
Q&A - Julia Frayer
Audience Q&AAudience questions following The Value of Affordable Electricity to an Economy.
Speaker / Lead
MC-facilitatedVenue
Le Méridien, room Wagram 213
Session
5:30–5:45 PM
15 min
Why AI Is the Solution
Forum sessionA grid-focused case for AI as part of the solution.
Speaker / Lead
Arushi Sharma FrankVenue
Le Méridien, room Wagram 214
Q&A
5:45–6:00 PM
15 min
Q&A - Arushi Sharma Frank
Audience Q&AAudience questions following Why AI Is the Solution.
Speaker / Lead
MC-facilitatedVenue
Le Méridien, room Wagram 215
Session
6:00–6:10 PM
10 min
Battery / Storage / Solar Developments for AND Solutions
Forum sessionBattery, storage, and solar developments through the AND-solutions frame.
Speaker / Lead
Robert Wittmeyer · Cholla Inc.Venue
Le Méridien, room Wagram 216
Q&A
6:10–6:15 PM
5 min
Q&A - Robert Wittmeyer
Audience Q&AAudience questions on battery, storage, and solar developments.
Speaker / Lead
MC-facilitatedVenue
Le Méridien, room Wagram 217
Session
6:15–6:30 PM
15 min
Load Flexibility in the UK Market
Forum sessionMarket experience and lessons from load flexibility in the United Kingdom.
Speaker / Lead
Philippe Vassilopoulos · EPEX SPOTVenue
Le Méridien, room Wagram 218
Q&A
6:30–6:45 PM
15 min
Q&A - Philippe Vassilopoulos
Audience Q&AAudience questions following Load Flexibility in the UK Market.
Speaker / Lead
MC-facilitatedVenue
Le Méridien, room Wagram 220
Closing
6:55–7:00 PM
5 min
Closing Remarks & Final Announcements
Forum closeFinal acknowledgements and closing guidance as the public forum concludes.
Speaker / Lead
HostsVenue
Le Méridien, room Wagram 2Live updates
Guest updates in one place.
Confirmed timing, room movement, status changes, and speaker notes are posted here during Rethink Electricity Paris — the single place to check before each room opens.
Guest signal
Confirmed updates stay concise, current, and easy to scan before the next room opens.
01
Timing
02
Venue
03
Room status
Before the forum
Leading up
One place for guest updates.
Final timing, room assignments, and arrival notes are confirmed here as August 25 approaches.
On the day
August 25
Same-day room changes.
If a room or start time shifts during the programme, the change is posted here first.
Programme close
7:00 PM
Final programme notes.
Any confirmed end-of-day forum updates are posted here.
The setting
Paris at blue hour — the tone for the rooms opening across the programme.
Paris atmosphere
The city sets the tone.
Architecture, evening light, and real gathering spaces give the programme a sense of place before the first Speed to Power conversation opens.
Paris at scale
Grand rooms, city scale, and the atmosphere of Paris in motion.
After dark
Paris architecture and evening light beyond the forum.
Architecture & light
Grand rooms, glass, and the detail of the city.
The room
Rethink Electricity stands on its own.
A focused room for executives and invited guests — built around serious electricity, capital, infrastructure, AI, compute, and government conversations in Paris.
Guest coordination
Everything in one place during the forum.
During the programme, confirmed timing, room details, speaker materials, and forum notes will stay centralized here for guests.
Use it for
Room notes, guest status, forum materials, and programme changes.
Guest view
Timing, venue notes, speaker context, and room details in one place.
What to expect
Useful, quiet, and current — the details you need, nothing you don't.