Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI), which is innovating the way utilities and cities manage energy and water, announced that Itron Inspire 2021, its premier customer-focused event, will be held virtually only, Oct. 4-8, 2021. The customer-focused event will bring together leaders from across energy, water, industrial IoT (IIoT) and smart communities to share perspectives and best practices to drive the industry forward. Originally, this year’s Itron Inspire was planned as a hybrid event with both virtual and in-person components.

“Due to increasing uncertainty around the COVID-19 Delta variant and with the safety of our customers, partners and employees in mind, we made the decision to host Itron Inspire virtually. We look forward to gathering online and exchanging ideas that help move our industry forward, especially around pressing matters such as better preparing for natural disasters and managing the influx of renewables and electric vehicles,” said Marina Donovan, vice president of global marketing and public affairs. “We have an excellent lineup of speakers and thought leaders including a number of customer lead breakout sessions.”

Itron Inspire’s main event, the Knowledge Conference, will take place Oct. 4-6, 2021, and will feature two insightful keynotes, two big picture sessions and 20 breakout sessions. Post-conference forums will also take place virtually in the weeks following the Knowledge Conference. More details to come.

Keynotes & General Sessions

• Opening General Session: Todd L. Inlander, SVP and CIO of Southern California Edison and Tom Deitrich, president and CEO of Itron, will discuss the ongoing transformation of our industry, and how leveraging more intelligence throughout the delivery system can lead to more possibilities for innovation and efficiency to help drive transformation. Marina Donovan will take the virtual stage to unveil the results of this year’s Itron Resourcefulness Insight Report on grid resiliency.
• Tuesday General Session – Trek to Decarbonization: Tom Rand, co-founder and managing partner of ArcTern Ventures is one of the most creative and courageous public speakers in North America, challenging his audiences to recognize there are concrete solutions to the climate change crisis. Hear Tom as he takes this enormously complicated issue and reformulates it in a way that presents sound thinking for overcoming the impacts of climate change. Then Kimberly Britton, CEO of EPIcenter, will sit down with Tom for a fireside chat about innovation, decarbonization and the critical conversations we need to have around energy and water.
• Women in Utilities: Denise Thomas, president of The Effective Communication Coach, will share powerful insights to help transform emerging and existing professionals into extraordinary leaders by mastering the art of effective communication. Her high energy and enthusiasm to lift females up in organizations, alongside her powerful insights into inclusion and diversity, will be sure to re-energize attendees. Both men and women are encouraged to listen to this dynamic presentation.

Big Picture Sessions:

• Resilience & Reliability – Addressing Urgent Grid Challenges: The 2021 Texas electricity crisis and the increasingly frequent wildfires in the West have revealed dangerous vulnerabilities in utility infrastructures and market systems. A panel of industry experts will discuss what can be learned from past events to design for a smarter future. What lessons—and multi-commodity resources—can be shared between electric, gas and water systems, and how to incentivize consumer engagement in a way that increases satisfaction, minimizes inconvenience and prioritizes safety.
• Cybersecurity in a Complex, Interconnected World: Utility executives have ranked cybersecurity as a top concern for several years now. Nonetheless, the 2020 SolarWinds hack was a wake-up call regarding vulnerabilities deep in the software supply chain. Utilities have long known their assets would be in the crosshairs if global tensions escalated to full-blown cyber warfare. But what's the likelihood of that? What can today’s utility and city leaders do to ensure that data is safe and secure? During this Big Picture Session, a panel of cybersecurity experts will gather to discuss these and other questions.

Breakout Sessions:

Breakout sessions will take place each day of the conference following the general session in the following tracks:

• Applications, Outcomes & Services: Sessions in this track address outcomes driven by distributed intelligence, consumer energy management, AMI and grid operations, forecasting, water operations management, revenue assurance, prepayment, renewables integration and outcome-based services and solutions for utilities, cities and third-party providers across the globe.
• Data Management: In this track, utilities will share insights and experiences to help those seeking a meter data management solution as well as those in search of strategies for storing and using data at their utility.
• Mobile & Measurement Solutions: This track also brings an understanding of how Itron Mobile-based solutions offer flexibility for seamless migration to a next-generation network or hybrid deployment to meet your business and operational requirements.
• Multi-Purpose Network Solutions: In this track, learn about Itron's approach to help you navigate these changes with intelligently connected IIoT platforms and solutions designed from the ground up to support a broad range of outcomes today and tomorrow.

For more information about Itron Inspire 2021, including details on securing a refund for your in-person registration and purchasing a virtual conference pass, please visit www.itron.com/inspire.

About Itron

Itron enables utilities and cities to safely, securely and reliably deliver critical infrastructure solutions to communities in more than 100 countries. Our portfolio of smart networks, software, services, meters and sensors helps our customers better manage electricity, gas and water resources for the people they serve. By working with our customers to ensure their success, we help improve the quality of life, ensure the safety and promote the well-being of millions of people around the globe. Itron is dedicated to creating a more resourceful world. Join us: www.itron.com.

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