NECA This Week

NTW 8/17: Profile of Electrical Contractor, Labor Relations Conference & More

Aug 17, 2026

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Industry News

How Long Does It Take to Power a Data Center?

Building the shell of a data center takes 18–24 months in most U.S. markets, but “time to power” can take much longer. While it varies by state, the national average wait time is four years, according to the 2026 JLL Global Data Center Outlook.

Builders tout more than just data centers in latest earnings reports

The AI buildout continued to dominate construction’s focus, but publicly traded companies also seemed to keep diversification and other infrastructure sectors mind.

NECA News

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR Releases Part 2 of 2026 Profile of the Electrical Contractor

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR magazine has published Part 2 of its 2026 "Profile of the Electrical Contractor" survey, covering how ECs do their work, including bidding formats, purchasing habits, engineering partnerships and product specification. Findings include a shift back toward electrical distributors for purchasing, nearly 80% of contractors reporting medium to high influence over designs and specs, and availability and price remaining the top factors in product selection.

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Registration Open for 2026 Labor Relation Conference

Last week, registration opened for the 2026 Labor Relations Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, running November 2–4. This year's sessions explore the connections at the heart of our industry: between employers and employees, between us and our customers, and the legal, regulatory, and contractual frameworks that tie it all together. Topics span the CIR, labor law and history, grievances, negotiations, non-standard IBEW agreements, direct-hire recruiting, hyperscale's effect on labor in your market, and how to prevent problems by building strong relationships from the start.

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Deep Dive with Preconvention Workshops

Over 130 people have already registered for a Pre-Convention Workshop, have you? These sessions offer a deep dive into some of the industry's most important topics. This year's lineup includes Integration Essentials: Building the Foundation for Intelligent Electrical Services, covering IT/OT convergence, integration platforms, and Division 25 specs to help you start winning intelligent building work; Construction Suicide Prevention Outreach (sponsored by NLMCC), which prepares participants to lead mental health dialogue and support their teams; and Stop Covering Content, Start Building Skill, a hands-on session on training design that helps you move past lecture-based delivery and build training your team will actually remember and use in the field. Unable to attend Convention? No problem, you can still register for a workshop on its own!

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Help Shape the Future of Project Performance

The NECA Innovation Institute is NECA's premier leadership and innovation development program, designed exclusively for the electrical construction industry. Over the course of a year, participants embark on a structured journey that challenges assumptions, builds real skills, and produces measurable business results. NECA is currently accepting applications for upcoming 2027 cohorts! Each participant is nominated and supported by an executive sponsor within their organization, ensuring that individual growth translates directly into company impact. Two cohorts run each year with staggered April and August start dates.

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