Although data centers now receive most of the attention in discussion about the hottest segments in the electrical construction market, there’s actually another opportunity that over the next decade could be even  bigger: the expansion and revitalization of the U.S. electrical grid.

The enormous appetite for additional power that new data centers, mega-projects such as semiconductor plants, industrial plants, hospitals, airports and school and universities will have is creating extraordinary demand for new power plants and new sources alternative power generation, as well as energy-efficiency measures to curb power usage.

In the 2026 NECA Show seminar entitled, “Solving the Doubling of Electricity Demand Between Now and 2050,” Brian Nelson, ABB U.S. Renewable Segment Leader, offered a solid overview of the new power sources that will come online, including natural gas, renewables and the renewed interest in DC power as a solution for many electrical loads. On top of the business created by the installation of these new sources of generation is the need to update much of the existing electrical equipment in facilities. Nelson said transformers, circuit breakers and utility poles have a lifespan of between 30 and 40 years and will often need to be updated with more modern equipment.

He said that because so many of the new loads coming online require digital power, electrical contractors, design engineers and other electrical professionals will need to have a thorough understanding of DC power systems and battery power, which he said, “will be used everywhere.”  These loads include EV chargers, industrial drives, lighting, heat pumps, batteries, solar arrays, robots and data centers. “So many things are now powered by DC,” he said. “We live in a DC world but we are plugged into AC.”

Nelson said renewables will continue  to be deployed  because they are the  fastest and cheapest way to generate electricity,  and that new natural gas systems will start having a major impact on the U.S. electrical grid by the 2030s and will continue to be a major source of new power generation through the late 2030s. He said during the 2030s, new nuclear power generation will also be a factor.

Three key takeaways from Nelson’s presentation are the importance of:

• Identifying new installation and services opportunities from next-generation renewables and storage;
• Understanding digital and grid-enhancing technologies and how they create new work for contractors;
• And Learning how microgrids and VPP-enabled sites expand the role of electrical professionals in resiliency and distributed energy.