knowledge exchange
Too big to plug in? Data center and U.S. electricity issues to watch in 2026
Jeff Johnston and Teri Viswanath
CoBank experts Jeff Johnston and Teri Viswanath outline the details behind key issues they’re watching in 2026: why AI investment isn’t a dot-com–style bubble, how AI leadership has become a geopolitical and energy race, and why rapid data center growth is increasing tensions among regulators, large customers, and utilities.