When Assistant Secretary Catherine Jereza of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DoE) Office of Electricity visited the National Electric Energy Testing, Research and Applications Center (NEETRAC) on August 20, it provided an opportunity for researchers to showcase their latest work and discuss the challenges facing America's electric grid. 

Assistant Secretary Jereza made the trip to Atlanta as part of the Powering America Roadshow, an outreach initiative by the DoE to collaborate with premier power facilities on modernizing infrastructure and improving grid reliability. 

Based in the Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, NEETRAC is a membership-driven research consortium that brings together utilities, manufacturers, and researchers to test new technologies, address emerging challenges, and improve the reliability of the nation's electric grid. 

“The National Electric Energy Testing, Research and Applications Center is helping move energy innovation from the laboratory to the power grid,” Assistant Secretary Jereza said. “By turning promising technologies into practical solutions for utilities, its work is strengthening the affordable, reliable energy system that Americans depend on every day. Under President Trump’s leadership, we continue to champion the innovation needed to unleash American energy dominance.” 

During the visit, researchers showcased NEETRAC's approach to supporting the electric power industry through specialized testing services and customized solutions developed in collaboration with utility and manufacturing partners.

"We were honored to welcome Assistant Secretary Jereza to NEETRAC and share how our work supports a more reliable, resilient electric grid," said NEETRAC director David McDonald. "As the nation's energy needs continue to grow, partnerships among government, industry, and academia are essential to developing and validating the technologies that will power the future. Visits like this help strengthen those connections and ensure we're addressing the challenges that matter most." 

The tour highlighted the breadth of NEETRAC's testing capabilities, from high-voltage equipment and power cables to utility infrastructure and field equipment used throughout the industry.

“Georgia Tech Institute Relations was delighted to host Assistant Secretary Jereza at NEETRAC,” associate director of federal relations Katie Mercer said. “Sharing our story and discussing our shared vision with Assistant Secretary Jereza was a fantastic highlight of the visit. Georgia Tech is proud to be more than a university—we act as conveners and catalysts, taking big swings to tackle our nation’s most pressing current and future challenges. That is why we are home to NEETRAC, a one-of-a-kind initiative that partners with private industry to keep Americans cool in the summer, warm in the winter, and powered year-round. We look forward to ongoing collaboration with the Department of Energy.”