The Outlet: September 22, 2026
Hi there,
Data-center work is spreading, AI is raising insurance questions, and hotter nights are keeping pressure on the grid.
🔦 Fun Fact
One hertz means one complete cycle per second. A 60 Hz waveform completes a cycle in about 16.7 milliseconds, so plenty happens between two blinks.
😆 Laugh of the Day
Why did the electrician bring a pencil to the panel?
To draw a little current.
🏗️ Data-Center Work Reaches One in Six ABC Members
About one in six Associated Builders and Contractors members now has data-center work under contract, the highest share in its survey history. August backlog averaged 9.9 months for contractors with that work, compared with 8.3 months for those without it. The opportunity is substantial, but ABC also reports renewed concern about labor shortages: winning another job and having a crew to staff it are different problems.
📋 Check the AI Fine Print in Contractor Insurance
A new report highlighted by Electrical Contractor finds that insurers have filed generative-AI exclusions across many common liability coverage lines. A filed endorsement does not mean it is attached to your policy, and the distinction matters. If your shop uses AI for estimates, plan comparisons, or marketing, ask your insurance agent to check the actual policy language instead of assuming the physical work is all that counts.
🌡️ Hot Nights Leave Less Recovery Time for the Grid
Electrical Contractor examines how higher demand, heat, and reduced equipment efficiency compound one another. The overnight temperature matters too: warm nights give transformers and local distribution equipment less opportunity to cool. For shops working with facility owners, the report is a useful starting point for conversations about maintenance windows, backup plans, and resilience before the next stretch of hot weather.
A full schedule is better when the crew, equipment, and fine print can keep up.
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