Held March 11-15 at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando, Fla., and hosted by NETA, the InterNational Electrical Testing Association (NETA), PowerTest 25 once again proved to be the premier event for electrical power safety and reliability training. Offering five days of education, networking, and industry advancement for more than 1,100 attendees, it is the largest annual gathering of its kind for the power industry.
Featured presentations
Setting the stage for the conference, Ron Widup, PowerTest chairman, highlighted this year’s conference theme of “Harnessing Power Potential” by posing the following question to the audience in his opening message: “If you learn one thing — either by mistake or intentionally — that could change the path of your career, or your company, or could benefit you and your family, what would you do differently to find it? What would you do to harness power’s potential?” Emphasizing continuous learning as a driver of safety, success, and professional growth, Widup continued, “All of us should be on a quest to learn that one thing that will make us safer, more successful, and better at what we do. That is why we are here.”
Next, Alex Chausovsky, director of analytics and consulting at Bundy Group, delivered the keynote address, providing attendees with an economic and labor market update and highlighting “What to Expect in 2025 and Beyond.” In this session, he revealed why leading indicators point to an improvement in the U.S. economy this year, but also why President Trump’s agenda (particularly his tax cut, immigration, and tariff policies) is bound to have a substantial impact (check out the video chat below with the keynote speaker). Specifically, he focused on:
- Time-sensitive economic events of concern such as inflation, interest rates, tariffs, immigration, labor market conditions, consumer spending, business investment, and industrial activity.
- Recommendations on how to navigate the current macroeconomic climate and plan for the future.
- The tools company leadership can use to become better data-driven decision makers in running their businesses.
Training and education
PowerTest 25 offered nearly 40 unique training sessions organized in the following tracks:
- Transformers
- Relay Protection
- Electrical Safety
- Equipment & Reliability
- Emerging Technology
- Sales and Management
In addition to earning up to 4.8 continuing educational credits (CEUs) or 48 continuing technical development (CTD) credits, attendees participated in expert-led panel discussions and in-depth technical seminars focused on real-world applications and emerging challenges.
New product forum
One of the most highly attended events at the show, 21 companies delivered rapid-fire presentations on the latest innovations in electrical testing and power reliability, showcasing groundbreaking technologies and solutions. The expo show floor was the largest in NETA history, featuring nearly 100 exhibitors, interactive demonstrations, and industry-leading panels on “Renewable Energy Challenges & Opportunities” and “AI’s Role in Power Safety and Efficiency.”
Key session takeaways
Editor-in-Chief of EC&M, Ellen Parson, had the chance to sit down with prominent subject matter experts/panelists during the event. The following individuals shared key takeaways from their presentations in short video chat interviews:
Lanny Floyd (electrical safety)
Alex Chausovsky (keynote address/economic outlook for the power industry)
Jospeh Aguirre (battery testing for renewable applications)
Jonathan Dyer (electrical safety)
Abel Gonzalez (service challenges in renewable energy)
Lee Howard and Jacob Rioux (grounding, soil resistivity, and fall of potential testing)
Dave Kreger (impact of NFPA changes to electrical safety)
Chasen Tedder (medium-voltage cable test selection)
Chris Campbell (artificial intelligence and training opportunities)
Keon McEwen (artificial intelligence and cybersecurity)
Delivering another record-breaking year for attendance, PowerTest 25 hosted representatives from nearly all of the NETA-accredited companies, engineering design firms, power producers, distributors, contractors, manufacturers, and commercial entities, along with hundreds of organizations that provide products and services in support of the electrical power industry. PowerTest26 will be held March 2-6, 2026 in Nashville, Tenn.
