CIGRE Paris Session 2026: Australian Expertise on the Global Stage
The CIGRE Paris Session 2026 brought together the global power system community in Paris from 23–28 August, with more than 5,500 delegates, 1,400 papers and participants representing more than 90 countries. Around 140 Australians attended the Paris Session this year.
As one of the world’s leading forums for power system expertise, the Paris Session provided energy professionals with an opportunity to share knowledge, explore emerging technologies and collaborate on the challenges shaping the future of electricity networks.
For CIGRE Australia, the 2026 Session was also an opportunity to celebrate the significant contribution of Australian members to CIGRE’s international technical community.
Recognising Australian excellence
Australian members were strongly represented among the 2026 CIGRE award recipients, reflecting the depth of expertise and longstanding commitment of Australian professionals to CIGRE’s technical work.
Four Australian members received CIGRE Technical Council Awards, recognising their active contribution to the technical activities of CIGRE Study Committees and Working Groups:
- Tara-Lee MacArthur – Study Committee A2: Power Transformers and Reactors
- Crina Costan – Study Committee B3: Substations and Electrical Installations
- Genevieve Lietz – Study Committee C4: Power System Technical Performance
- Alex Cruickshank – Study Committee C5: Electricity Markets and Regulation
The Technical Council Award is presented every two years to members nominated by their Study Committee Chairs for their contribution to CIGRE’s technical work.
The achievements continued with nine Australian members recognised as CIGRE Distinguished Members in 2026:
- Babak Badrzadeh
- Crina-Miana Costan
- Ed Wilson
- Genevieve Lietz
- Gregory Thorpe (posthumous award)
- Stephen Palmer
- Tim Browne
- Victor Tan
The Distinguished Member Award recognises long-standing members who have made significant contributions to their National Committee and to CIGRE’s technical activities.
Adding to the recognition, Adrian Lloyd was also named a recipient of the 2026 Next Generation Network Significant Contribution Award, recognising outstanding contributions to CIGRE activities by NGN members.
Australian knowledge contributing to the global conversation
Beyond the awards, Australian expertise was prominent throughout the technical programme, with Australian professionals contributing 60 papers across the range of Study Committees and preferential subjects.
The 2026 programme highlighted many of the challenges particularly relevant to Australia’s rapidly evolving power system.
This international exchange is at the heart of CIGRE’s work. The Paris Session provides a unique opportunity for Australian experience to inform international practice, while also allowing Australian professionals to learn from developments and experiences across the global power sector.
Congratulations to all CIGRE Australia members who contributed to the success of the 2026 Paris Session – whether through providing a paper, delivering a presentation or poster, participating in technical discussions, contributing to Working Groups, supporting colleagues or representing Australia within the international CIGRE community.
Moira and Richard Bevan NGN Scholars
Four Moira and Richard Bevan NGN scholars were funded to attend the Paris Session this year – Caolan Griffin, Cassandra Ma, Kunj Thekdi and Chris Wembridge. Each of the scholars delivered excellent presentations as part of the NGN Showcase, proudly demonstrating the technical talent of the wider Australian NGN cohort.