APPA | American Public Power Association 2026
Event Date
October 25–28, 2026
Location
Nashville, TN
About This Show
AI-drafted summaryThe APPA Customer Connections Conference is an annual event hosted by the American Public Power Association (APPA) for professionals at not-for-profit, community-owned electric utilities. The 2026 edition takes place October 25-28 in Nashville, Tennessee, and centers on four core tracks: Customer Service, Energy Innovation & Adoption, Key Accounts, and Public Communications.
Sessions are designed for utility employees at both the professional and management levels across these disciplines. Attendees typically include specialists, coordinators, analysts, supervisors, managers, directors, and vice presidents, and the program benefits both public power veterans and those new to the electric utility industry, as well as rising stars with cross-departmental responsibilities.
Over three days, participants gain the latest insights on national issues and industry trends, exchange ideas with peers from across the country, and build connections within the national public power community. The format combines keynotes, concurrent breakout sessions, optional pre-conference seminars, and networking events, making it a focused professional-development and peer-networking opportunity for community-owned utilities.
Show Highlights
- Four dedicated tracks: Public Communications; Customer Service; Energy Innovation & Adoption; and Key Accounts, with several breakouts running concurrently in each time slot so attendees can move freely between sessions.
- General sessions that bring all attendees together on broader industry issues.
- Pre-conference seminars (Sunday) offering in-depth exploration of topics with experienced instructors, available as an add-on.
- Networking events including a Welcome Reception, receptions, and continental breakfasts, plus a Sponsor Showcase for connecting with solution providers.
- Educational credits available, including CEUs (IACET), PDHs (NCEES), and CPE credits (NASBA) for eligible sessions.
- Utility employees can get involved by serving as officers on the conference planning committees for each track.
Attendance
APPA promotes the conference as a gathering of 400+ public power leaders in customer service, energy innovation & adoption, key accounts, and public communications. The audience is drawn from not-for-profit, community-owned utilities and spans professional through executive levels (specialists, coordinators, analysts, supervisors, managers, directors, and vice presidents).
Booth Pricing
This is a table-top Sponsor Showcase rather than a traditional exhibit hall, and the only way to secure showcase space is by purchasing a sponsorship. Each package includes a 6-ft table, two chairs, and a waste basket. Sponsorship tiers (Elite Corporate Associate Member / Corporate Associate Member / Nonmember pricing) include:
- Signature Sponsor: $10,000 / $11,000 / $22,000
- Public Power Champion: $9,000 / $10,000 / $20,000
- Premier Networking Sponsor: $8,000 / $9,000 / $18,000
- Sustaining Networking Sponsor: $6,000 / $7,000 / $14,000
- Public Power Advocate: $5,000 / $6,000 / $12,000
- Networking Sponsor: $4,000 / $5,000 / $10,000
- Public Power Supporter: $1,500 / $2,500 / $5,000
Corporate associate membership unlocks significant discounts. Packages can be purchased through the APPA online store.
Registration
Registration for the 2026 conference is scheduled to open in fall 2026. Published 2026 registration fees are:
- APPA members: $995 (register by Sep. 14) / $1,095 after Sep. 14
- Nonmembers: $1,990 (register by Sep. 14) / $2,090 after Sep. 14
- Pre-conference seminars: $395 each
Group discounts apply automatically when an organization registers five or more people on the same order: $50 off per person for 5-9 registrants, $100 for 10-14, $150 for 15-24, and $200 for 25+.
Cancellation policy: Written cancellations received on or before Monday, October 19, 2026 receive a refund minus a $100 fee; after that date no refunds are given, though attendee substitutions are allowed.
History
The Customer Connections Conference is an established annual event of the American Public Power Association, the national voice of community-owned electric utilities. It has developed into APPA's signature gathering for the customer-facing side of public power, organized around four tracks: customer service, energy innovation & adoption, key accounts, and public communications. The conference rotates among U.S. host cities each year; the 2026 edition is in Nashville, Tennessee, and the 2027 conference is scheduled for October 17-20 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Venue & Travel
Venue
Omni Nashville Hotel
250 Rep. John Lewis Way S.
The 2026 Customer Connections Conference will be held at the Omni Nashville Hotel in downtown Nashville. The 21-story hotel features 800 guest rooms and suites and over 80,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space, ranging from boardrooms to ballrooms. Its largest ballroom offers roughly 23,760 square feet.
A signature feature is the hotel's direct connection to the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum across three levels, offering access to unique event venues. The hotel is also adjacent to the Music City Center, a 1.2 million-square-foot convention facility. On-site amenities include multiple restaurants such as Bob's Steak & Chop House and Kitchen Notes, the Bongo Java coffee shop, a full-service Mokara Spa, a rooftop pool, and a fitness center. The property is smoke-free and offers accessible rooms and facilities.
Parking
The Omni Nashville Hotel offers valet parking, with self-parking options available nearby. Overnight valet rates run approximately $60-$75, and daily valet is roughly $32-$42 for up to four hours ($60 for over four hours). Self-parking is available at the adjacent Music City Center garage for about $35 plus tax per day (without in-and-out privileges), with the garage entrance on Sixth Avenue between Korean Veterans Boulevard and Demonbreun. Several additional nearby garages and lots, including the Symphony Place Garage and Hilton Nashville Downtown Garage, are within a short walk.
Getting There
The nearest airport is Nashville International Airport (BNA), located about 8 miles (roughly 15-20 minutes' drive) from the Omni Nashville Hotel. Rideshare apps and taxis are common and often the most cost-effective way to reach the hotel from the airport and around downtown. The hotel sits in the heart of downtown Nashville near Broadway, with a convention-center-area bus stop nearby and many attractions — Bridgestone Arena, Ryman Auditorium, and the Country Music Hall of Fame — within walking distance. Car rentals are available for those who prefer to drive, with on-site valet and nearby garage parking.
Nearby Hotels
The Omni Nashville Hotel serves as the official conference hotel, with an APPA group rate of $349 per night (single/double, plus applicable taxes). The room block opens in June 2026, and the reservation cut-off date to receive the group rate is September 29, 2026; early booking is encouraged as the block may sell out. Reserve by phone at (800) 843-6664 (reference "2026 Customer Connections Conference") or online through APPA's official link.
The hotel is located in the walkable SoBro (South of Broadway) district downtown, so numerous additional hotels are within easy walking distance, including the Hilton Nashville Downtown one block away. Attendees are advised to book only through APPA's official links and to avoid third-party booking scams.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is the 2026 APPA Customer Connections Conference?
The conference takes place October 25-28, 2026, at the Omni Nashville Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. The hotel is located at 250 Rep. John Lewis Way S, in downtown Nashville.
Who should attend the conference?
It is designed for public power utility employees at professional and management levels working in public communications, customer service, energy innovation and adoption, and key accounts. Both industry veterans and those new to the electric utility field benefit, including specialists, managers, directors, and vice presidents.
How much does registration cost and how do I register?
Published 2026 fees are $995 for members and $1,990 for nonmembers if registering by September 14, rising to $1,095 and $2,090 afterward, with pre-conference seminars $395 each. Registration is expected to open in fall 2026, and groups of five or more receive per-person discounts when registered on the same order.
How can a company exhibit or sponsor?
The event uses a table-top Sponsor Showcase, and the only way to secure showcase space is by purchasing a sponsorship package. Tiers range from about $1,500 to $22,000 depending on level and membership status, with each showcase package including a six-foot table, two chairs, and a waste basket.
What is the conference format and can I earn continuing education credits?
The program spans three days of keynotes, general sessions, concurrent breakout sessions across four tracks, optional Sunday pre-conference seminars, and networking events. Attendees can earn CEUs, PDHs, and CPE credits for eligible sessions by completing the post-event evaluation.
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