Where Ideas Spark Action: The WE3 Regional Chapter Recap

Water + Energy + Engage + Educate + Empower — five words that power a revolution. WE3 was born six years ago with a bold, singular vision: to empower billions of people by transforming how utilities connect with the people they serve. Because let’s face it—no one can live without water, and no one can innovate without power. What began as a purpose-driven movement has evolved into the industry’s most anticipated global summit presented by SEW. From Dominion and SMUD to Alectra, Liberty, SWG, and NiSource, leaders across the globe gather at WE3 to confront the toughest challenges in energy and water. But along the way, we learned something important.

One global summit a year isn’t enough. Conversations alone won’t move the needle.

Remember, when wildfires blaze through California… or when heatwaves and grid stress hit many utilities in the U.S. and Europe back in 2024 or when droughts impacted water supply in southern Europe and parts of Africa or when storms and outages badly hit the U.S. East Coast. Millions felt the impact. But beyond the crisis, these moments serve as critical inflection points. They remind us that every minute counts in utility operations. That real-time intelligence isn't a luxury—it's the backbone of resilience. That proactive response, driven by data and delivered through the right channels, can change the trajectory of entire communities. Because in our connected world, the difference between disruption and continuity is often just one timely alert, one informed decision, or one empowered technician away.

That’s where the WE3 Regional Chapters came in.

Not just grand ideas—but local action. Not just blueprinted strategies—but speed. Not just planning—but PEOPLE + AI in ACTION. Because change doesn’t only happen on big stages. It happens on city streets, in communities, in local grids and neighbourhoods, with providers and with technology providers—where real people live with the consequences and promise their consumers of transformation.
And that’s why 2025 marked a turning point. This year, WE3 went regional.

WE3 EMEA in Rotterdam, Europe. WE3 East Coast in Richmond, Virginia. Two new regional chapters that bring the mission home—to where it’s needed most.

Chapter 1: WE3 East Coast (North America) Regional Chapter

April 29, 2025 | Richmond, Virginia | Theme: The People + AI Transition in Action

At the heart of Virginia’s capital, WE3 East Coast brought together energy and water leaders for a day of action-oriented dialogue on digital transformation. This wasn’t about theoretical AI. It was about vertical-specific AI solving real challenges across the grid, field, and customer spectrum—with measurable impact.
Hosted by SEW and Dominion Energy, and supported by sponsors like PwC, iGreenTree, and Bridgewater Consulting Group, the event drew over 100 utility executives and innovators from Duke Energy, Washington Gas, Alliant Energy, Georgia Power, DTE Energy, and more.

What Set WE3 East Apart?

Vertical AI Over Horizontal AI
Speakers didn’t hold back: legacy horizontal AI isn’t built for mission-critical utility environments. Instead, Vertical AI platforms, purpose-built for energy and water, are delivering smarter connected experiences—from the customers, workforce to the grid.
Real Transformation Journeys, Not Just Demos
Each session spotlighted real deployments—not pilots. Dominion Energy showcased how they are scaling AI platforms across diverse user groups—transforming customer service with intelligent automation, optimizing field workflows, and offering personalized support for all customer segments.
Bridging Infrastructure, People, and Performance
Grid modernization to eMobility integration and predictive resilience, one message stood out: building a truly connected future means leveraging AI-driven platforms that unify infrastructure intelligence, customer engagement, and workforce efficiency.
AI for Financial Inclusivity
DTE Energy led a powerful session on how AI is reimagining assistance programs—making them more responsive, accessible, and impactful for vulnerable populations through digital tools.
Empowering the Utility Edge
Utilities are equipping field workers and agents with mobile-first digital tools, while customers benefit from real-time engagement and self-serve solutions, all through a unified digital utility experience.
People-Led Digital Transformation
Utilities like Dominion, Duke, and Alliant emphasized that lasting transformation isn’t just about tech. It’s about retraining teams, shifting culture, and embedding digital thinking at every level of the organization.

Chapter 2: WE3 EMEA - April 8, 2025, Rotterdam, Netherlands

Theme: From Distributed Energy Resources to Smarter Grids and Seamless CX Rotterdam lit up with transformative energy - literally and figuratively - as leaders from across Europe, the Middle East and Latin American energy and water sectors gathered to talk smart grid modernization, customer experience (CX), and workforce evolution.

At the heart of the event? Global powerhouses like FEDA, UGI International, and Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority, who took the stage as speakers. These industry leaders spotlighted how digital customer , and field workforce transformation is being reimagined through local lenses - from decentralized supply integration to empowering field workforces with digital platforms.

Key Takeaways from Rotterdam

Customer-Centric Grids: Utilities are moving beyond infrastructure upgrades to design predictive, seamless customer experiences.
Local Innovation for Global Impact: Distributed energy strategies are being hyper-customized to regional needs, creating powerful models for others to follow.
Digital Workforce Empowerment: Field technicians armed with AI and mobile solutions are redefining service speed and grid resilience.

And we just didn’t stopped there. With just 1 quarter of the year gone by, we have also reignited our digital conversations with WE3 SmartTalk, a live virtual series that puts community-first thinking and ground-level innovation in the spotlight. Our SmartTalk debut in March featured Paul Lau (CEO, SMUD) and Deepak Garg (Chairman & Co- CEO, SEW) in a powerful dialogue on “Harnessing People + AI” and its transformative role in utilities.

This month, we brought you another candid conversation- James Douglas (EVP, Alectra) and Deepak Garg (Chairman & Co-CEO, SEW) is joining us for “eMobility Meets the Grid”—a real-time look at leading through uncertainty.

People + AI in Action: All Roads Lead to WE3 Las Vegas

With two powerful chapters complete—WE3 EMEA and WE3 East—the stage is now set for the Mega Energy and Water Event of the Year.
WE3 Global Summit | Las Vegas. Where real-world impact meets bold innovation. And where the future of energy and water is shaped—by People and AI, together.

What to Expect at the WE3 Global Summit – Las Vegas

This November, 1000+ global leaders and 400+ utilities come together in Las Vegas to push boundaries, share breakthroughs, and shape the future. From Dominion Energy to Southern Company, Duke Energy, NiSource, Alliant Energy, Liberty, SMUD, and Alectra Utilities—leaders are bringing real stories, real challenges, and bold visions to the stage.

Here’s what to expect:

It’s Global—and Grounded
From North America to Europe, LATAM to Asia-Pacific, this is where global thought leadership connects with regional realities. You’ll hear diverse perspectives and walk away with actionable takeaways, no matter the market or maturity.
It’s Not Just Talk. It’s Transformation.
WE3 is where ideas become action. From modernizing infrastructure to embedding AI in frontline operations, this event showcases real change in motion—led by the people doing the work, not just talking about it.
The People in the Room Matter
CEOs. CIOs. CCOs, CDOs, Field teams. Partners. Startups. Customers. No other event brings together this level of leadership across the entire energy and water value chain. It’s where high-level vision meets operational grit.
The Innovation is Live, Not Just On Slides
Forget static presentations. At WE3, you’ll experience working platforms, proven-tested AI platforms, and real digital journeys—not theoretical futures. If it's being deployed at scale, it's on our stage.
Unfiltered Voices, Unscripted Insights
Hear candid stories and hard-won lessons from leaders at Southwest Gas, SDGE, SRP, Dominion Energy, Southern Company, Duke Energy, SMUD, Alectra Utilities, NiSource, Alliant Energy, and many more. This is where the industry speaks openly about what’s working—and what’s not.
It’s About Connection at Every Level
Whether you’re in a keynote, a roundtable, a tech showcase, or a casual hallway chat, WE3 is designed to maximize meaningful interactions. You’re not just attending—you’re participating in shaping what’s next.
It’s a Movement, Not a Moment
WE3 is where the future of the industry is co-created—through collaboration, courage, and commitment. If you care about digital transformation, sustainability, customer experience, resilience, equity, or innovation at scale—you belong here.
This Is Where the Next Decade Takes Shape
From vertical AI to grid intelligence, from customer-centric platforms to workforce reinvention—the ideas, technologies, and partnerships shaping the next 10 years of energy and water will be on display, in dialogue, and in development at WE3.

This isn’t just a summit. This is where the industry gathers to decide what’s next.
Welcome to WE3 Global Summit – Las Vegas.

At WE3 Las Vegas, it’s all about scaling real transformation through People + AI in action—driving outcomes that matter across the grid, the business, and the communities we serve.

This year, what started as a local spark will move to a global ignition. Join us in Las Vegas—where the future of energy and water will be built.