From Chips to Kilowatts: 5 Utility Stocks Riding the 2026 “Reliability Shock”

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In this article, we will list the 5 Utility Stocks Riding the 2026 “Reliability Shock”. Please visit 7 Utility Stocks Riding the 2026 “Reliability Shock” if you’d like to see an extended list.

For our list, we selected utility and power-generation stocks with clear exposure to the 2026 electricity-demand surge tied to AI data centers and other large-load customers. We limited our selection to companies with recent developments.

5. NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE)

NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE) is one of the utility stocks riding the 2026 “Reliability Shock.”

The latest relevant development came on April 23, 2026, when Reuters reported that NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE) expects to finalize agreements within about three months for two Japan-backed natural gas-fired power projects in the U.S. that would serve data centers. These projects, planned in Pennsylvania and Texas, are expected to total nearly 10 gigawatts, giving NextEra a clearer firm-power angle as AI-driven data-center campuses seek large and reliable electricity supplies. Reuters noted that customers for the projects have not yet been announced, but the scale still points to how quickly data-center demand is reshaping power development.

From Chips to Kilowatts: 5 Utility Stocks Riding the 2026 "Reliability Shock"

A new data center facility in Plano, Texas. Photo from CoreWeave

The company’s regulated utility, Florida Power & Light, is also seeing the pressure directly. Reuters said FPL’s pipeline of data-center requests has grown to 21 GW, with NextEra in advanced discussions on more than half of that demand and expecting those advanced projects to come online by 2028. NextEra is also working to restart the Duane Arnold nuclear plant in Iowa to serve Google data centers, while NextEra Energy Resources added 4 GW of renewable and storage projects to its backlog, bringing the total to about 33 GW. The company earned $1.09 per share on an adjusted basis in the first quarter, above analysts’ estimate of $0.96.

NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE) is a Juno Beach, Florida-based electric power and energy infrastructure company with regulated utility, renewables, storage, gas, and nuclear assets.

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