Jenna Ben-Yehuda
Executive Vice President
Atlantic Council

Defense planning has relied on assumptions of steady fuel supply, infrastructure access, and logistical redundancy—but these assumptions are breaking down. Energy systems are now under strain from cyberattacks, sabotage, and deliberate targeting, while fuel logistics remain vulnerable across distributed theaters. As energy becomes both a critical enabler and an exposed liability, military strategy must adapt to the operational and geopolitical risks embedded in its power supply. Bridging this gap will require a fundamental reassessment of how the force prepares for endurance under pressure.

Speakers

General Curtis Michael Scaparrotti, US Army (Ret.)
Senior Counselor
The Cohen Group
Board Director
Atlantic Council
18th Supreme Allied Commander Europe and 17th Commander of the United States European Command (2016-2019)

Christine Wormuth
Senior Advisor, Aerospace and Defense
Boston Consulting Group
25th United States Secretary of the Army (2021-2025)

Landon Derentz
Vice President for Energy and Infrastructure, Morningstar Chair for Global Energy Security, and Senior Director, Global Energy Center
Atlantic Council

Moderated by

Meredith Berger
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Global Energy Center
Atlantic Council
9th Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment (2021-2025)

Speakers

Jason Knapp
Veterans Advanced Energy Fellow
Atlantic Council
Founder and Managing Director
Capitol Energy Advocacy

Christopher Olson
Veterans Advanced Energy Fellow
Atlantic Council
Vice President for Government Relations
Weatherford

Chamai Shahim
Veterans Advanced Energy Fellow
Atlantic Council
Vice President of Strategy and Execution
Gambek Metals

Moderated by

Reed Blakemore
Director of Research and Programs, Global Energy Center
Atlantic Council

Join us for our coffee break.

Next-generation capabilities—from long-range sensors to directed energy weapons—are transforming how the military engages, maneuvers, and defends. But these advances come with a steep energy cost, increasing pressure on already strained logistics and fueling infrastructure. Traditional supply models are struggling to meet the demand, especially in environments where resupply is contested or constrained. Reducing the energy burden of the future fight—and building endurance into the systems that support it—will be critical to maintaining tempo under threat.

Speakers

Rob Leland
Director, Energy and Earth Systems Center
Sandia National Laboratories

Brenda Shaffer
Faculty Associate, Research, Energy Academic Group
Naval Postgraduate School
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Global Energy Center
Atlantic Council

Peter Flory
Senior Fellow and Director, European Initiative for Energy Security
Securing America’s Future Energy
Former Assistant Secretary General of NATO for Defence Investment (2007-2010)
Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (2005-2006)

Moderated by

Morgan Bazilian
Director of the Payne Institute and Professor of Public Policy
Colorado School of Mines

As energy demands surge across forward-operating bases, naval fleets, and advanced weapons systems, nuclear power is reemerging as a strategic enabler of military endurance and operational reach. From modular reactors sustaining remote installations to next-generation propulsion systems, defense planners are turning to nuclear technologies to reduce supply chain vulnerabilities, reinforce infrastructure resilience, and sustain combat power. New industrial partnerships and accelerated development timelines are reshaping how the US military generates, delivers, and defends energy in increasingly contested environments.

Speakers

Joseph Miller
President, Government Operations
BWXT

Rachel Jacobson
17th Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy, and Environment (2022-2025)

Moderated by

Lauren Hughes
Deputy Director, Nuclear Energy Policy Initiative
Atlantic Council

Join us for our lunch break.

In a renewed era of great-power competition, strategic deterrence extends beyond military posture to the broader levers of power that shape global rivalry. Control over energy resources, infrastructure, and trade routes has become a decisive factor in geopolitical outcomes, with adversaries exploiting chokepoints and supply chains to challenge U.S. resolve and allied cohesion. This session will examine how the interplay of military power and energy security is redefining strategic advantage in the international system.

Speakers

Admiral James O. Ellis Jr., USN (Ret.)
Annenberg Distinguished Visiting Fellow,
Hoover Institution
5th Commander of the United States Strategic Command (2001-2004)

Moderated by

Debra Cagan
Senior Advisor, Eurasia Center
Atlantic Council

Maritime chokepoints and transit corridors now shape the flow of fuels, minerals, and materials essential to both economic stability and global trade. From the Panama Canal to the Strait of Malacca, these routes are increasingly subject to geopolitical pressure, commercial disruption, and targeted interference by state and non-state actors. As energy supply becomes more entangled with strategic rivalry, maintaining secure and reliable access is becoming a prerequisite for economic resilience. The stability of energy markets—and the ability to participate in them—now depends as much on maritime security as on production itself.

Speakers

Vice Admiral William Merz, USN (Ret.)
Senior Vice President, Aerospace and Defense Technologies
Oceaneering International
Former Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans, and Strategy (2021-2022)
Former Commander of the 7th Fleet (2019-2021)

Helima Croft
Managing Director and Global Head of Commodity Strategy and MENA Research
RBC Capital Markets
Board Director
Atlantic Council

Fernando Ferreira
Director of the Geopolitical Risk Service
Rapidan Energy Group

Moderated by

Reed Blakemore
Director of Research and Programs, Global Energy Center
Atlantic Council

Rising energy demand from data centers, semiconductor fabs, emergency operations, and other national security-critical sectors is rapidly outpacing what the current grid can reliably deliver. As these facilities become more essential to the United States’ strategic advantage, ensuring their energy resilience is no longer optional. This session will explore how utilities, developers, and federal partners are racing to meet rising demand—embedding resilience, scalability, and speed into the infrastructure powering America’s most vital civilian and dual-use operations.

Speakers

Christian Brown
Vice President of Federal Services
Summit Ridge Energy

Patrick Hughes
Senior Vice President, Technical Affairs
National Electrical Manufacturers Association

Paige Rodrigues
Senior Manager, Policy & Grid Strategy
CTC Global

Moderator

Joseph Webster
Senior Fellow, Global Energy Center and Nonresident Senior Fellow, Indo-Pacific Security Initiative
Atlantic Council

From Okinawa and Diego Garcia to NATO’s eastern flank, military installations play a vital role in enabling rapid response and regional deterrence. While many bases operate with robust systems, some still rely on energy imports, aging infrastructure, or legacy power systems that may be challenged in high-threat environments. As adversaries increasingly target energy as a potential point of failure—both kinetically and non-kinetically—strengthening how bases generate, store, and defend their power is central to sustaining a credible global presence.

Speakers

Jay Owen
President
Schneider Electric Federal

The Hon. Sarah Elfreth (D-MD, 03)
United States House of Representatives

Meredith Pringle
Chief Operations Officer
Converge Strategies
Women Leaders in Energy and Climate Fellow (2021)
Atlantic Council

Moderated by

Sherri Goodman
Distinguished Fellow, Global Energy Center and Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security and Board Director
Atlantic Council

Speakers

Benjamin Byboth
Veterans Advanced Energy Fellow
Atlantic Council
Director, Business Development and Strategy
Commonwealth Fusion Systems

Ariel Coreth
Veterans Advanced Energy Fellow
Atlantic Council
Project Manager
WSP USA

Travis Nels
Veterans Advanced Energy Fellow
Atlantic Council
Vice President of Planning, Analytics, Technology, and Transformation
AES Corporation

Moderated by

Reed Blakemore
Director of Research and Programs, Global Energy Center
Atlantic Council

Landon Derentz
Vice President for Energy and Infrastructure, Morningstar Chair for Global Energy Security, and Senior Director, Global Energy Center
Atlantic Council

Join us for our reception.