Sullivan: What the 2026 midterms could mean for energy investors
CNBC analyst Brian Sullivan examines how the 2026 elections could affect energy markets and data center development. Texas is identified as especially important because regulators have halted electronic permitting while reviewing whether applications are connected to data centers, while candidates in Texas and Ohio support possible moratoriums on new projects.
CNBC’s Brian Sullivan assesses the potential effects of the 2026 midterm elections on energy investors, including the growing demand for electricity from data centers. He says Texas may be the most consequential state for utility stocks and data center activity, while Georgia, Ohio, Oregon and Pennsylvania could also matter.
Sullivan notes that Texas environmental regulators have halted electronic permitting to ensure applications are unrelated to data centers. He also highlights proposals from Texas candidate Gina Hinojosa and Ohio candidate Amy Acton for moratoriums or conditions on new data center construction, but emphasizes that election victories would not automatically produce new restrictions. The article is primarily an investment and energy-market analysis rather than coverage of a specific data center project.