Measures the Change-Response Gap: how fast industries are changing versus how fast companies are responding. 50 means they are even. Higher means the gap is wider.
October 2026: Energy & Utilities scores 60 (Significant Gap), with a Change Score of 79 and a Response Score of 60. Texas widened its data center pause to cover permits statewide, and California signed seven data center bills. The House passed a bill to make data centers cover grid-upgrade costs. Dominion shareholders approved a merger with NextEra, and the NRC issued the first US construction permit for a BWRX-300 small modular reactor.
Energy & Utilities companies are keeping up with about 75% of the change. Evidence: Strong (13 sources).
History: May 60 · Jun 61 · Jul 61 · Aug 58 · Sep 60 · Oct 60
Household bills stayed a top worry. A September 14 poll found that 66% of Virginia voters are extremely or very concerned about their household electricity bills (GlobeNewswire). Eight in 10 want lawmakers to prioritize lowering those bills. The Congressional Research Service, Congress's research arm, reported that the price of capacity on the PJM grid rose 1,038% between 2024 and 2026 (Congressional Research Service). PJM is the largest US grid operator.
The ledger holds no new September data on utility hiring or layoffs. The one signal came from Hitachi Energy, an equipment maker. It says its new Mississippi transformer factory should add more than 700 jobs (Hitachi Energy). That is a supplier's own projection, not a utility hiring plan. Last month, on August 6, Challenger, Gray & Christmas, the outplacement firm that tracks layoffs, said energy was among the sectors where hiring demand was showing up.
Large sums moved this month. Dominion Energy shareholders approved a $67 billion all-stock merger with NextEra Energy, which would create the largest regulated electric utility in the US (The Globe and Mail). The deal still needs state and federal approval. Hitachi Energy says it committed $528 million to the Mississippi transformer factory, completing a $1.5 billion US expansion (Hitachi Energy). ONE Nuclear Energy closed its business combination with Hennessy Capital Investment Corp. VII, a listed shell company (SEC Form 8-K). It launched a Nasdaq-listed platform with 5 gigawatts of projects in development.
The rules now push the cost of data centers onto the data centers. The US House passed the Ratepayer Protection Act on September 16, which asks states to consider making data centers pay the full cost of grid upgrades (The Daily Caller). It still needs a Senate vote. California Governor Gavin Newsom signed seven data center bills on September 21 (Office of Governor Gavin Newsom). The seven laws take effect January 1, 2027. Regulators must set new data center power tariffs by 2028.
Public concern about data centers is broad. An Ipsos poll released September 16 found that 69% of US adults are concerned about data center construction (Ipsos). Ipsos is a global polling firm. The top worries were water use (50%) and energy supply strain (41%). Last month, on August 31, CNN reported that more than $31 million had been spent this year on political ads mentioning data centers.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered the state environmental agency, the TCEQ, on September 21 to halt all permit issuance for data center projects statewide (DLA Piper). The pause lasts until an audit by ERCOT, the Texas grid operator, and the Texas Water Development Board is complete. On the supply side, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a construction permit on September 29 for TVA's 300 megawatt small modular reactor at Clinch River (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission). TVA is the federal power utility for the Tennessee Valley. It is the first US construction permit for a BWRX-300 reactor.
The ledger holds no new September earnings-call evidence for utilities. Last month, AEP, one of the largest US utilities, said it had 69 gigawatts of data-center demand under contract through 2030. That is an August, self-reported figure and is not updated here.
No utility announced an AI or transformation hiring push in the September ledger. The only hiring figure came from a supplier. Hitachi Energy, the equipment maker, says its Mississippi transformer plant is expected to add more than 700 jobs (Hitachi Energy). Equipment capacity is growing faster than any announced utility team.
Utilities put money into both generation and wires. Salt River Project, an Arizona public power utility, approved the 1,675 megawatt Marigold Energy Center on September 14 (AZ Big Media). It combines 600 megawatts of solar, 400 megawatts of battery storage, and 675 megawatts of natural gas. It is part of a plan to double the utility's capacity by 2035. New York's Public Service Commission approved the $3.26 billion Propel NY transmission line, developed by New York Transco and the New York Power Authority (Long Island Press).
Electrical District No. 3, a small Arizona utility, is weighing a buy-in to SRP's new Marigold Energy Center instead of building its own generation (Presenc AI Research). This is an evaluation, not a signed deal. It shows smaller utilities looking to share large projects. Last month, on August 26, Georgia regulators approved a 3,200 megawatt contract between Georgia Power and OpenAI.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission finished its review of TVA's small reactor in 14 months, four months ahead of schedule (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission). Salt River Project's plan runs to 2035, and the Propel NY line is planned for completion in 2030. Approvals are arriving this year. The power itself is years away.
The score of 60 reflects a Change Score of 79 and a Response Score of 60. Change leads response by 19 points. Each indicator is rated 0 to 5 in half points by two independent reviewers, and the ratings shown are their average. How we score.