The Outlet: April 20, 2026
Hi there,
Welcome to this week's edition of The Outlet. Here are some sparks to keep you informed and entertained!
🔦 Fun Fact
The first practical transformer was built in 1885 by William Stanley Jr. for Westinghouse — a device that could step AC voltage up or down across a magnetic core. Before it, electrical power could only travel a short distance before losing strength, which made central generating stations nearly useless at scale. Stanley's transformer changed that overnight, making long-distance transmission economical and setting the stage for the modern grid. Every substation transformer you work around today traces its lineage directly to that prototype built in a Great Barrington, Massachusetts machine shop.
😆 Laugh of the Day
Why did the electrician refuse to work at the data center?
Too many servers — he couldn't find the right one to bill.
🏗️ Transformer Shortages Are Delaying Half of All 2026 Data Centers
Up to 50% of large US data centers planned for 2026 will not come online on time — and electrical infrastructure shortages are the primary culprit. Lead times for power transformers have stretched to 128 weeks (over two years), up from the already-strained 24–30 month range of recent years, with US projects heavily dependent on Chinese imports that have become increasingly constrained. For electricians, the message is clear: data center work isn't slowing down, but projects will stretch longer as owners scramble to source gear...
🎓 IBEW Apprenticeship Offers $61/Hour Starting — No Tuition Required
NBC 10 recently spotlighted the Joint Apprenticeship Training Center in Rhode Island, run by IBEW Local 99 and NECA, which offers a four-year paid apprenticeship with zero tuition and starting wages around $61 per hour — rising to $122/hour on Sundays. The program is designed to address a critical and growing workforce shortage: the electrical industry needs more than 300,000 new electricians over the next decade, with nearly 30% of current union electricians approaching retirement age. If you know someone considering the trades, the numbers speak for themselves...
📋 NEC 2026 Brings New Rules for Medium-Voltage Systems in Data Centers
IAEI Magazine published a detailed breakdown of how the 2026 National Electrical Code — particularly the new Article 270 covering medium-voltage grounding and bonding — is reshaping electrical design requirements for data centers. US data center energy consumption has exploded from 58 TWh in 2014 to 176 TWh in 2023, with projections reaching 325–580 TWh by 2028, meaning these facilities are moving from edge cases to mainstream work for many contractors. If you're doing or bidding data center work, Article 270 compliance is now a non-negotiable part of the job...
We hope you enjoyed this week's edition of The Outlet. Stay tuned for more updates, and as always, keep the current flowing! ⚡ 🔌
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