TOPICS

The Energy and Digital Transitions, of which electrification is at the heart, are more than ever a major issue of our time. In addition to the imperatives of reliability, sustainable development, competitiveness and compliance with regulations, there are now those of resilience and sovereignty.

These themes are central to the 2027 edition of MatPost, which will take place in Lyon. Eminent experts and decision-makers from the international electricity ecosystem will discuss for 2 days the many innovations and initiatives to accelerate the necessary transformations while preserving our environment.

6 TECHNICAL SESSIONS, 3 KEYNOTES, A PANEL DISCUSSION, AN EXHIBITION & A TECHNICAL VISIT

• Massive electrification, integration of renewable energies (offshore wind, photovoltaics, hydrogen), systems and infrastructures (DC grids, fast charging, grid forming).

• Evolution of equipment (gas-insulated technologies without SF6, electric mobility, batteries, increase in required performance) and substation architectures (power distribution for data centers, etc.).

• Simulation and advanced modeling to accelerate projects (“Electromagnetic Transient Models”, digital twins, AI by design, impact of quantum).

• Network supervision and digitalization: connected devices and automation, contribution of digital technology to the resilience and robustness of infrastructures, interest of virtualization associated with Process Bus technologies, impact of architectures on system performance, certification.

• Effects of normative and regulatory changes on equipment with the following key themes: the ban on SF6, REACH including certain PFAS, the “Cyber Resilience Act”, the “Cyber Solidarity Act”, the harmonization of standardizations.

• Sustainability and sovereignty: raw materials, criticality, sobriety, recycling, equipment repairability, ability to adapt to climate and geopolitical crises.

Three “Keynotes” and a panel discussion will enrich the interventions, which will also aim to meet the skills needs of the electricity sector.

Many exhibitors will also have the opportunity to showcase and exchange on their most recent innovations. These presentations will take place in parallel with the sessions.

This edition will be crowned by the technical visit of RTE’s 24-hour digital supervision center.

Power Networks and Substation Equipment in a Decarbonized, Digitalized, and Resilient World

Building on the continuity of previous editions, MatPost2027 stands out as an international reference event for all stakeholders involved in the design, standardization, manufacturing, operation, and use of High- and Medium-Voltage substation equipment.

Energy pathways for France—and for many other countries—are now clearly defined for the 2030–2050 horizon. The strong shift toward electricity, which is essential for energy decarbonization, must be supported by deeply transformed electrical networks, capable of accommodating new developments, integrating new generation sources and uses, and meeting environmental, regulatory, financial, and societal constraints.

This transformation goes far beyond generation infrastructures. It fundamentally concerns:

• The electrical power system,
• Network architectures,
• The role of substations and interconnections,
• The very nature of equipment, now at the crossroads of electrotechnics, digital technologies, and information systems.

The lessons from MatPost2023 and recent discussions held for MatPost2025 have confirmed a major evolution:
each piece of equipment—from component to system—retains its essential electrotechnical function while simultaneously becoming communicating, instrumented, connected, and controlled. The electrical substation is increasingly established as a strategic hub, a place of conversion, protection and automation, supervision, and valorization of the physical data generated and transmitted by the networks.

In a context marked by:

• The massive electrification
• The continue increase of integration of renewable energy sources,
• The development of direct current (HVDC and MVDC networks),
• The rapid expansion of fast-charging infrastructures,
• The growing importance of data centers,
• The emergence of new network architectures and SF₆-free equipment,
• And increasing requirements for resilience, cybersecurity, and industrial sovereignty,

Substation equipment is becoming active, intelligent, interconnected systems, critical to the overall stability of the electrical power system.

Within this framework, MatPost2027 offers a platform to continue this technical, scientific, and regulatory reflection in support of these transformations. The conference will notably address:

• Technological innovations required for energy and digital transitions, to reinforce the grid
• New substation and network architectures integrating modularity, predictive maintenance, and sustainability,
• Contributions from advanced simulation (transient models, digital twins, artificial intelligence),
• Real-time digital supervision, interoperability, and qualification of digital systems,
• Reliability challenges, and above all cybersecurity and resilience of critical infrastructures,
• Resource challenges related to increasingly scarce raw materials, as well as meeting current and future needs of the electrical sector by strengthening communication about “electricity professions” and encouraging greater mobilization of women and men in this field,
• As well as standardization and regulatory developments (SF₆, cybersecurity, eco-design, resource management, new standards, including solid-state transformers – SST).

Faithful to the spirit of MatPost, the 2027 edition will bring together experts and decision-makers from the High- and Medium-Voltage domains:
regulators, network operators, electricity producers, manufacturers and installers, research centers, engineering schools and universities, testing laboratories, standardization bodies, and institutions.

Technical sessions, strategic keynotes, forward-looking round tables, exhibitions with exchanges, presentations or demonstrations, and technical visits will provide a privileged forum to share feedback, confront perspectives, and collectively prepare for the future.

Through MatPost2027, the ambition is clear:
to contribute to the development of sustainable, high-performance, and resilient electrical networks, capable of supporting the energy transition, the growing digitalization of uses, and long-term societal requirements, while preparing the essential evolution of professions and skills for future generations.

We look forward to welcoming you at MatPost2027 to continue together this essential reflection on our collective future.