NextEra Energy signed a record 4 GW of new capacity in Q1 alone. (Utility Dive)
CEO John Ketchum noted that 200–300 MW projects no longer “get it done” for data center giants. NextEra is now focused on building 2–5 GW hubs, contributing to a total development backlog that’s ballooned to 33 GW.
The vision: “I truly believe that we need to be, as a country, looking at data centers as giant batteries that sit behind the grid,” Ketchum said. Think: data center hubs that can support overall system reliability and benefit all ratepayers.
The challenge: Workforce. NextEra’s gas buildout has enough turbines, but not enough skilled labor. Contractors are being cannibalized by competing projects for LNG terminals and data centers.