From Chips to Kilowatts: 7 Utility Stocks Riding the 2026 “Reliability Shock”

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6. Entergy Corporation (NYSE:ETR)

Entergy Corporation (NYSE:ETR) is one of the utility stocks riding the 2026 “Reliability Shock.”

The latest relevant development came on April 29, 2026, when Reuters reported that Entergy Corporation (NYSE:ETR) increased its four-year capital spending plan by about 33% to $57 billion, largely to expand energy infrastructure for Meta’s data centers. The agreement includes seven new natural gas-fueled combined-cycle power plants totaling more than 5.2 gigawatts, adding a direct firm-power angle to the AI electricity-demand story. Reuters also said Entergy has another 7-12 GW of potential new data-center customers interested in connecting to its system.

The demand is already showing up in results. Entergy reported first-quarter 2026 earnings of $385 million, or $0.83 per share, compared with $361 million, or $0.82 per share, a year earlier. Adjusted earnings rose to $399 million, or $0.86 per share, from $361 million, or $0.82 per share. Reuters said weather-adjusted retail sales rose 6% from the prior year, helped by higher industrial usage from data centers, metal producers, and transportation customers, while industrial sales grew nearly 15% to 15,895 gigawatt-hours.

Entergy Corporation (NYSE:ETR) is a New Orleans-based utility serving electric customers across Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.

While we acknowledge the potential of ETR to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some other AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than ETR and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

Click to continue reading and see 5 Utility Stocks Riding the 2026 “Reliability Shock”.

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