CONTRIBUTORS
Anujeet Sareen, CFA
Portfolio Manager
United States
Flat Growth Has Led to Flat-Footedness: With electricity consumption flat for almost two decades, US load growth was stagnant from 2000 to 2020. In 2025, the public and private sectors have been scrambling to build out infrastructure and rein in retail prices as data center buildouts and electrification continue to drive consumption.
More Pain for Households: The Mid-Atlantic region serves as a proxy for residential electricity prices. Its June 2025 capacity auction prices continued to hit all time highs; 45% of total power costs were attributed to data centers, or $7.3 billions. With no relief in sight, retail electricity prices are expected to continue rising into at least 2026.
Projected Transmissions Expansion: Transmission is an underappreciated facet of the grid and has been underinvested in for almost 20 years. Projected expansion through 2040—even in high load parts of the grid—may not be enough to withstand projected demand which should double by 2035.
Producer Prices Are Also Rising: Copper is a key input in transmission and distribution lines; supply chain issues—including imports—and rising costs will likely be a headwind to producer and retail prices.
Co-location Has Yet to Take Off: Co-locating power capacity and production at data centers has been floated as a popular solution, but only accounts for 7% of US facilities. With a 4+ year backlog in gas turbines, co-located renewable power remains an alternative, though battery storage remains an outstanding problem.
Look to Texas for Innovation: Comparing Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland (PJM) and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), Texas is poised to be a potential winner of managing retail prices and renewable energy growth and innovation. The Texas grid has stabilized power prices during seasonal peak loads; it is also increasingly supported by solar and battery storage, and both are projected to grow through 2030.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS?
All investments involve risks, including possible loss of principal. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Please note that an investor cannot invest directly in an index. Unmanaged index returns do not reflect any fees, expenses or sales charges.
Fixed income securities involve interest rate, credit, inflation and reinvestment risks, and possible loss of principal. As interest rates rise, the value of fixed income securities falls. Low-rated, high-yield bonds are subject to greater price volatility, illiquidity and possibility of default. Changes in the credit rating of a bond, or in the credit rating or financial strength of a bond’s issuer, insurer or guarantor, may affect the bond’s value.
Commodities and currencies contain heightened risk that include market, political, regulatory, and natural conditions and may not be suitable for all investors.
US Treasuries are direct debt obligations issued and backed by the “full faith and credit” of the US government. The US government guarantees the principal and interest payments on US Treasuries when the securities are held to maturity. Unlike US Treasuries, debt securities issued by the federal agencies and instrumentalities and related investments may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the US government. Even when the US government guarantees principal and interest payments on securities, this guarantee does not apply to losses resulting from declines in the market value of these securities.
WF: 8857811