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2026 PJM Market Update

2026 PJM Market Update

During NRG’s PJM Market Update, moderator Joe Wright and presenters Gina Jardot, Zane Kershner, and David Olszak discussed the market trends, supply and demand fundamentals, and regulatory policies shaping power and gas markets in the northern U.S going into 2026.

Watch the webinar

Our experts reviewed:

  • Market drivers: a deep-dive into electricity and natural gas fundamentals across the northern U.S. (DE, IL, IN, KY, MD, MI, NJ, NC, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, DC), including supply, demand, and weather, along with economic and geopolitical factors
  • Market pricing: an overview of historical forward pricing trends, market settlements, and price trend analyses that help pinpoint key market trends to monitor
  • Regulatory policy: including details around PJM’s December Base Residual Auction (BRA) results and how they will impact forward electricity costs, along with the latest on large load additions in PJM
  • Purchasing strategies: expert, tangible examples of energy purchasing plans for businesses that align with current market conditions and various risk tolerance levels

Key takeaways

Want more context? Download our comprehensive summary of the discussion to keep all the in-depth details right at your fingertips.

Download the Summary Sheet

Speakers

Gina Jardot - Manager, Regulatory Affairs, NRG Energy, Inc.

 

Gina Jardot brings over 17 years of experience in the electricity sector. Her expertise spans NERC and FERC compliance as well as regulatory roles, with a strong focus over the past 12 years on PJM markets, stakeholder initiatives, and market design issues.

Zane Kershner - Technical Sales Representative, NRG Energy, Inc.

 

Zane Kershner currently serves as the Technical Sales Representative for the PJM Mid-Atlantic region.  The Technical Sales team works with account executives to offer energy solutions to customers. Zane has 20 years of experience in the wholesale and retail energy markets, including working with some of NRG’s largest key customers to develop and implement energy procurement strategies.  He came to NRG via the recent acquisition of Direct Energy, where he started in 2018.  Prior to joining Direct Energy, Zane was a Wholesale Energy Trader at Talen Energy, where he was responsible for the forward hedging of the 5,500 MW gas-fired generation fleet.  Zane holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science, cum laude, and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from DeSales University.

David Olszak - Client Strategist, Strategic Client Services, NRG Energy, Inc.

 

David brings a wealth of experience to NRG in both the natural gas and power markets. In his current role as a Client Strategist, he specializes in working with large commercial and industrial customers in the Mid-Atlantic region, focusing on market data and intelligence to help manager energy spend and mitigate risk. With his guidance, customers can feel confident making informed decisions about their energy purchasing. David holds a B.S. in Energy Business and Finance from Penn State, and an MBA in Business Administration – Energy Management from Waynesburg University.

Moderator

Joe Wright - Director of Structured Sales, PJM - Southeast, NRG Energy, Inc.

 

Joseph (Joe) Wright believes in helping a team to be successful, whether in the office or on the field. This father of eight, a 20+ year youth sports coach, understands that for a team to succeed, they need strong leadership by example and opportunities to learn. Joe started his career in energy in the ‘90s at Promark Energy, then joined Hess Energy. Through 20 years of mergers and acquisitions where Hess became Direct Energy and Direct Energy became NRG, Joe was a stable force for his customers during all the change. Over the years, he has served in multiple sales and operations roles. His current focus is on growing the business book in PJM for natural gas, power, and demand response. He enjoys the constant changes in the industry, learning new market dynamics, and helping his team to evolve with the market. He appreciates seeing long term customers continue to trust NRG with their business and bringing new energy customers into the fold. A graduate of Albright College, Joe lives in Berks County PA with his wife Michelle and their family, where he enjoys gardening, live music, and the Dallas Cowboys.

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