Please join us for the annual CIGRE UK technical liaison meeting of Study Committees A3 (Transmission & Distribution Equipment), B3 (Substations and Electrical Installations), and this year joined by D1 (Materials and Emerging Test Techniques). As well as updates from the UK Regular Members Matthew Iles (A3), Tony Chen (B3) and Thomas Andritsch (D1), there will be presentations on Lifecycle Assessments, Refurbishment, Mobile Substations, Obsolescence and Additive Manufacturing, as well as guest speakers bringing their perspectives on these topics. We aim to bring together these 3 Study Committees to spark discussion from a more diverse audience, offer a wider and fresh range of perspectives and opportunities for cross discipline learning.
There will be interactive sessions with opportunities for the attendees to provide their perspective and insights on these and a wide array of topics. At the end of the day we will collate the feedback from the interactive sessions and bring together any key points that emerge and feed these back to the main Study Committees at the next Paris Session 2026 in August.
Lunch and refreshments will be provided both during and after the event with opportunities for networking, knowledge sharing and socialising. A detailed agenda will be published in due course.
Agenda
10:00-12:00: Morning session
10:00 | Introduction to the day
10:15 | A utility’s view on digital substation and outlook into innovation in T3 – Mini Nambiar, SSEN Transmission
10:45 | Net Zero and the Energy System – Truly a systems challenge – Paul Monks, Royce Institute,
11:15 | Mobile Substations, SSEN Transmission, TBC
11:45 | High Voltage Cable Connector Technology and Material Development – Dave Reed (Pfisterer) & Darren Hodgeman (University of Manchester)
12:15 | Networking lunch
13:30-17:15: Afternoon session
13:30 | Regular member updates
14:00 | Life Cycle Assessment working group report – TBC
14:20 | Refurbishment update – Matthew Iles, National Grid Electricity Transmission,
14:40 | Obsolescence of Secondary Systems and the Impact on Primary Equipment – TBC
15:10 | Refreshments & Interactive session
15:40 | The Role of Additive Manufacturing in Power Transmission and Distribution – Thomas Andritsch, University of Southampton
16:10 | Panel/Q&A – Interactive session
17:00 | Summary of the interactive session
17:15 | Networking drinks & Close.
Why Attend
- Stay updated on the latest trends and technological breakthroughs.
- Share your expertise and learn from others in open technical discussions.
- Network with key figures from industry and academia to build professional relationships and potential collaborations.
Meeting Details
📅 Date: Wednseday 6th May 2026 | 10.00 – 17:00
📍 Location: IET Austin Court, 80 Cambridge St, Birmingham, B1 2NP
Registration Fees
There is a modest charge of £25+VAT per person to secure your place to attend. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. There will also be an opportunity to network with attendees at the end of the event over a drink.
Places to Stay
There are numerous hotels, to suit all budgets, within walking distance to Austin Court.
Meeting Compliance
Please note that when registering you will be asked to confirm that you understand CIGRE’s Meeting Compliance Regulations (this is a mandatory requirement). To review a summary of these regulations click the following link:
https://www.cigre.org/userfiles/files/About/CIGRE_Compliance_Regulations_Guidelines.pdf
