From Energy to Water: Maximising new technologies to deliver a Control Room of the future

Date: 12th November 2026

Location: London Paddington

Agenda

09:30 – 10:00 | Arrival, Coffee & Networking

10:00 – 10:15 | Welcome & Scene Setting

• Objectives for the day

• The value of cross-industry learning

• The opportunity for AI-powered operational decision support across the water sector

10:15 – 11:00 | Energy Update: AEMO GridIQ + Q&A

• The control room challenge

• AI-driven operational intelligence

• Business value and operational impact

11:00 – 11:15 | Break

11:15 – 12:00 | Energy Update: NGET Intelligent Substation + Q&A

• Overview of the initiative

• Key capabilities and outcomes

• Lessons learned and relevance to water utilities

12:00 – 12:30 | Discussion: What Can Water Learn from Energy?

• Similarities and differences in operational challenges

• Transferable capabilities and patterns

• Drivers for adoption in AMP8 and beyond

12:30 – 13:15 | Lunch

13:15 – 13:35 | ORAI – Rhys Jones (DCWW & FOIL)

• Progress update

• Outcomes achieved

• Next phase priorities (EDMs etc.)

13:35 – 13:55 | SAM – Samantha Proctor (NWL & Softwire)

• Programme overview

• Current status

• Key outcomes and opportunities

13:55 – 14:15 | SSS – Darren Coleman (AWG)

• Current deployment

• Value realised

• Future roadmap

14:15 – 14:30 | Break

14:30 – 16:30 | Breakout Workshop – Facilitated Group Discussion

1. Connecting the Dots

How can these capabilities be joined together into a coherent control room vision?

2. Value Assessment

• What value does each capability provide individually?

• What additional value emerges when combined?

3. Better Together

What is the “better together” opportunity for Water Sector Control Rooms?

Optional Discussion

• Where do third-party technologies and partners sit?

• What ecosystem is required to deliver the vision?

16:30 – 17:00 | Readout, Discussion & Next Steps

• Key themes from each group

• Areas of consensus

• Open questions

17:00 | Close

Venue, Travel & Accommodation

Venue

Microsoft Paddington

2 Kingdom Street

Paddington, London

W2 6BD

The Microsoft offices are located within Paddington Central, approximately a 5-minute walk from London Paddington Station.

Getting There

By train: London Paddington is the nearest mainline station and is served by Great Western Railway.

By Underground: Paddington is served by the Bakerloo, Circle, District and Hammersmith & City lines, as well as the Elizabeth line, providing easy connections across London.

By car: We recommend travelling by public transport where possible. Parking at Microsoft is very limited, although public car parks are available nearby.

Accommodation

Delegates are responsible for arranging their own accommodation. There are numerous hotels within easy walking distance of the venue, including several reasonably priced options:

Premier Inn London Paddington (Paddington Basin)

North Wharf Road – approximately 5 minutes' walk from Paddington Station and close to the Microsoft offices.

Premier Inn London Paddington (Paddington Station)

40 Eastbourne Terrace – conveniently located next to Paddington Station.

Point A Hotel London Paddington

41 Praed Street – a budget-friendly option within easy walking distance.

easyHotel London Paddington