Itron Unveils Itron Inspire 2026 Lineup Focused on Proven Approaches to Utility Challenges

LIBERTY LAKE, Wash., Sept. 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI), the infrastructure provider for modern energy and water management, revealed the speaker lineup for its premier customer-focused event, Itron Inspire 2026. The event will take place in Houston, TX, Oct. 16-21, 2026, with CenterPoint Energy serving as the host utility. More than 1,000 leaders from electric, water, natural gas and smart city organizations will gather to connect with peers and explore practical approaches for addressing the challenges shaping energy and water delivery.

“Every utility is navigating its own set of competing priorities. Demand is growing, infrastructure needs are mounting, workforces are stretched and affordability remains top of mind—all while customer expectations continue to rise,” said Marina Donovan, vice president of global marketing, ESG and public affairs. “These challenges can’t be solved by technology alone. Each year at Itron Inspire, the industry comes together to share what’s working, learn from one another and discuss how utilities can continue to meet the needs of the communities they serve.”

The main event, the Knowledge Conference, takes place Oct. 18-20 and features keynote presentations, breakout sessions and networking events. In the Knowledge Center, attendees can interact with Itron’s integrated solutions and partner offerings through live demonstrations and conversations with product experts. The Itron Experience will also return this year, giving attendees a chance to participate in a virtual game that simulates real-world utility scenarios. Participants will respond to evolving conditions, make trade-off decisions and compete against their peers to achieve the best outcomes.

Keynotes & General Sessions

Opening General Session | Monday, Oct. 19, 8:00-9:30 a.m.

• Ed De Varona, senior vice president of CenterPoint Energy’s electric business, will discuss how the utility is navigating growth, embracing innovation and improving grid resiliency.
• Tom Deitrich, president and CEO of Itron, will highlight the role of data, edge intelligence and AI in helping utilities turn operational insight into action. He’ll also be joined by Mike Delaney, vice president of strategy and innovation at Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), for a conversation on how the utility is applying intelligence at the edge to make home electrification easier, reduce operational and maintenance costs and strengthen the utility’s ability to detect and predict grid conditions.
• Marina Donovan, vice president of global marketing, ESG and public affairs, will discuss findings from the 2026 Itron Resourcefulness Report and host a panel discussion with Matthew Llewellyn, director of field operations, customer experience at San Antonio Water System; Brad Anderson, manager, meter reading technologies at Spire; and Mitch Davda, director, meter operations at Duquesne Light Company. Together, they’ll examine how utilities are embracing edge intelligence to optimize operations, improve safety and strengthen reliability and resiliency using infrastructure already in place.
  

Tuesday General Session | Tuesday, Oct. 20, 8:00-9:30 a.m.

• During the Tuesday General session, Sunny Wescott, Federal Emergency Response Chief Meteorologist and Executive Director for the Geospatial Intelligence Information Sharing and Analysis Center, will discuss how extreme weather is reshaping risk for utilities across the nation.
  

Big Picture Sessions

• Resiliency Solutions: Planning Smarter, Responding Faster and Operating Safer | Monday, Oct. 19, 2:15-3:15 p.m.: Matt Crye and Danny Petrecca, vice presidents of Resiliency Solutions at Itron, will introduce Itron’s new Resiliency Solutions business unit and its focus on worker safety, damage prevention, emergency preparedness and digital construction management. The session will continue with a discussion moderated by Dr. Michael Webber, energy-water nexus expert and professor at The University of Texas at Austin, featuring Crye and Petrecca as well as Monica Karuturi, executive vice president and general counsel at CenterPoint Energy, and Emeka Igwilo, Chief Data Offer at Southern Company Gas, on how these solutions are being applied in the field.
  
• Modernize, Don’t Just Replace: Unlocking Grid Edge Value | Tuesday, Oct. 20, 11:15 a.m. -12:00 p.m.: Matt Wakefield, director of information, communication & cyber security at EPRI will moderate a panel with Chris Moris, chief grid architect at PG&E; Robert Trask, principal engineer at Salt River Project; and Akilan Kapilan, director industry advisor at Microsoft, about practical approaches for maximizing existing AMI investments. The group will discuss strategies for modernizing infrastructure, prioritizing high-value applications and turning AMI data into meaningful operational outcomes.
  

Women Who Inspire | Tuesday, Oct. 20, 3:15-4:15 p.m.

The Women Who Inspire session returns this year in a new format, bringing attendees together for an afternoon tea social and panel discussion featuring women leaders from across the energy and water industries. Katrina Polk, vice president of product management at Itron, will moderate a discussion with Elvimar Rivas, senior analyst at Con Edison; Shelley Parker, vice president at Alectra Utilities; and Latisha Hill, vice president of community affairs and chief customer officer at Avista. Panelists will share insights from their personal and professional journeys, discussing topics such as navigating industry change, embracing innovation and mentorship.

Breakout Sessions

More than 75 customer- and partner-led breakout sessions will take place throughout the conference. Led by utility and industry experts, the sessions are organized across five tracks: Applications, Outcomes and Services; Data Management; Mobile and Measurement Solutions; Multi-Purpose Network Solutions; and Resiliency Solutions. Sessions will showcase how organizations are using intelligence and data-driven strategies to modernize existing infrastructure, respond faster to disruption, manage rising demand and improve outcomes for customers and communities.

Additional Learning Opportunities

Customer forums and working groups, included with a full conference pass, will take place on Sunday, Oct. 18 and Wednesday, Oct. 21, and provide attendees with opportunities to engage directly with product teams, collaborate with industry peers and learn about topics in greater depth. These interactive sessions are designed to foster meaningful dialogue, knowledge sharing and valuable feedback that helps shape the evolution of energy and water solutions. A complete list of sessions can be found here.

Additionally, Itron Inspire features pre-conference product training opportunities from Friday, Oct. 16 to Sunday, Oct. 18 for products including OpenWay^® Collection Manager, Temetra^® and MV-90™ xi. From one-day introductory courses to three-day certified training sessions, the hands-on, expert-led trainings allow utilities to maximize their professional development. For additional information and to register for pre-conference trainings, click here.

For more information about Itron Inspire 2026, visit www.itron.com/inspire. Join the conversation on social media using #ItronInspire26.

About Itron

Itron is transforming how the world manages energy, water and city services. Our trusted intelligent infrastructure solutions help utilities and cities improve efficiency, build resilience and deliver safe, reliable and affordable service. With edge intelligence, we connect people, data insights and devices so communities can better manage the essential resources they rely on to live and thrive. Join us as we create a more resourceful world: www.itron.com.

Itron^®, OpenWay, Temetra, and the Itron Logo are registered trademarks of Itron, Inc. in the United States and other countries and regions. All third-party trademarks are property of their respective owners and any usage herein does not suggest or imply any relationship between Itron and the third party unless expressly stated.

For additional information, contact:

Itron, Inc.

Alison Mallahan
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
509-891-3802
PR@Itron.com

Paul Vincent
Vice President, Investor Relations
512-560-1172
Investors@itron.com

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