Thought leaders across the energy and utility sectors are predicting that 2026 will be defined by intense pressure on power systems due to rapid load growth driven by data centers, artificial intelligence, and the onshoring of manufacturing. Existing generation and grid infrastructure are expected to face unprecedented stress as electrification and new energy demands outpace the pace of traditional build-out and interconnection. Maintaining reliability and managing affordability are top priorities for utilities and their partners as they respond to these evolving challenges.

Experts highlight the critical need for both execution and innovation in the year ahead, emphasizing that speed to energization and cost pressures will shape decisions across the industry, with organizations looking for practical solutions that can be deployed at scale. Permitting and workforce constraints are also obstacles that utilities and developers must address to meet rising demand effectively.

Part of the broader conversation around resilience and speed to power involves flexible and dispatchable generation solutions. Enchanted Rock is as an example of how onsite microgrids and resiliency-as-a-service models can help customers bring critical facilities online more quickly while broader grid enhancements are underway. These types of solutions provide reliable power during permitting and interconnection delays, and once grid connections are established, they can serve as backup capacity for both hosts and utilities.

Innovation and collaboration is imperative to 2026 priorities. Bringing new technologies and business models into planning and deployment is key to improving affordability and reliability, and industry participants stress the importance of cross-sector cooperation. By focusing on execution under real constraints and aligning investments with operational needs, the energy and utilities sector can respond more effectively to emerging load growth and reliability demands.

Read the full article from Public Utilities Fortnightly here.