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Research, analysis, and perspectives on the built world.
FERC RM26-4 Is Now Law. Here Is What Data Center Developers Need to Do.
FERC's June 2026 action on Docket RM26-4-000 establishes the first national framework governing how large electrical loads above 20 MW connect to the U.S. interstate transmission system. This piece explains what the rule requires, who it hits first, and the five actions data center developers should take before the compliance period closes.
June 22, 2026 ·5 min read
Data Center Electrical Procurement: Why the Order Has to Come Before the Design
Power transformer lead times from major manufacturers have reached 48-60 months in 2026, with Tier 1 suppliers booked through 2030. This post explains the five-stage electrical procurement workflow that works in today's market, from pre-LOI utility confirmation through continuous schedule monitoring, and the budget implications developers must model now.
June 22, 2026 ·5 min read
Training vs. Inference Data Centers: Two Different Buildings
Training and inference AI workloads require fundamentally different data center designs: site selection logic, cooling architecture, electrical infrastructure, and underwriting frameworks diverge at nearly every level. This explainer maps those differences and explains why a mixed-design compromise serves neither workload well.
June 22, 2026 ·5 min read
Data Center Grounding and Bonding: What Developers Need to Verify Before Construction
A deficient grounding and bonding system in a data center causes equipment failures, EMI interference, and safety risks that are difficult and expensive to correct after energization. This guide covers the three layers of a data center grounding system, separately derived system requirements, lightning protection coordination, and what developers should verify in design review.
June 21, 2026 ·5 min read
Data Center Punch List Management with AI: How Developers Close Out Without Losing Control
Commissioning punch lists on large data center projects generate hundreds to thousands of items across mechanical, electrical, controls, and fire protection scopes. This post explains how AI can automate capture, deduplication, tracking, and documentation completeness while identifying where human engineering judgment is required for closure decisions.
June 21, 2026 ·5 min read
Raised Floor vs. Concrete Slab in Data Centers: How to Make the Right Call for AI-Era Builds
The choice between raised access floors and concrete slab construction shapes cooling architecture, structural capacity, and operational flexibility for the life of a data center. This guide explains when slab-on-grade is the right default for AI-era high-density builds and when raised floors remain a legitimate choice for specific applications.
June 21, 2026 ·5 min read
When Hyperscalers Buy the Building: What the $280B M&A Surge Means for Data Center Developers
The Aligned Data Centers $40B acquisition by a Microsoft-Nvidia-BlackRock consortium marks a structural shift: hyperscalers are now taking equity in infrastructure platforms, not just signing leases. This piece explains what the $280B capex surge and rising hyperscaler M&A means for independent developers -- from valuation compression among mid-tier operators to the underwriting changes required to compete for premium exits.
June 19, 2026 ·7 min read
FERC RM26-4 Is About to Change Data Center Interconnection. Here Is What Developers Should Do Before It Does.
FERC will issue the first standardized national framework for large-load interconnection before June 30, 2026, covering any data center project above 20 MW connecting to interstate transmission. This piece explains what the rule is expected to contain -- 100% caused-cost assignment, curtailability options, hybrid facility treatment -- and the five actions developers should take before the order changes the baseline.
June 19, 2026 ·6 min read
Power Purchase Agreements for Data Centers: How Developers Structure the Deal That Now Leads the Deal
Power purchase agreements now determine whether a data center project can be financed at all. This piece explains the three PPA structures (physical, virtual, utility service), why nuclear has become the preferred baseline for hyperscale power, the key PPA terms that drive construction financing, and where AI compresses the diligence and monitoring workflow without replacing the negotiation.
June 19, 2026 ·7 min read