Power Alley 4/1/2026

Power Alley, by Industria Partners, is a collection of articles focusing on trends and transactions across the electrical infrastructure value chain. 

Chart of the Week: 

Almost half of the US data centers planned for this year are expected to be delayed or canceled due to the shortage of electrical equipment, such as transformers, switchgear and batteries. – Bloomberg

Recent Market News:

• US regulators and grid operators are calling on data centers to cut their power use when the grid is overloaded, saying it is the only way to connect large-load customers as quickly as they are requesting. – Argus 
• National Grid is teaming up with GridCARE to “identify and unlock” interconnection capacity for large-load customers in New York, finding spare capacity on the grid, and potentially reducing interconnection headways from several years to 6 – 12 months. – Utility Dive 

Transactions:

• 3/31/2026: Emerald AI, an infrastructure flexibility management platform designed to manage the interface between power grids and data centers, raised $25 million in a Strategic Expansion Round led by Energy Impact Partners. – Emerald AI
• 3/31/2026: Primoris Services Corporation entered into a definitive purchase agreement to acquire PayneCrest Electric, an electrical construction and services provider supporting industrial, manufacturing, and advanced facilities, for $422 million. – Business Wire
• 3/30/2026: Flex entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Electrical Power Products, a provider of engineered-to-order electrical power control and protection systems, for ~$1.1 billion. – Flex
• 3/30/2026: Werner acquired ETCO Electric Supply, an electrical supplies distributor. – MDM
• 3/25/2026: Clearlake Capital Group signed a definitive agreement to acquire Qualus Corporation, a power solutions provider supporting grid resiliency, security, and sustainability, from New Mountain Capital. – PR Newswire
• 3/12/2026: Littlejohn & Co. acquired GDS Associates, a consulting and advisory services provider to electric utilities. – PE Professional

In-Depth Read:
DOE emergency orders for fossil plants complicate utility planning, experts say – Utility Dive

Podcast:
207. Investing in Energy’s ‘Anti-Fragile’ Future – The POWER Podcast

Industria Partners maintains a core focus on high-value electrical services and products, offering tailored strategic advisory services to companies at every stage of the business cycle. Through industry connectivity, transaction experience, and expert execution, Industria delivers superior outcomes to its clients. Visit our website: Industria Partners