Industry and IBEW News

IBEW Offers to Fix Skyline Icon At No Cost

https://www.kctv5.com/2026/02/27/kansas-city-electrical-union-says-it-offered-restore-western-auto-sign-free-hoa-rejected-offer/

IBEW Local 124 offered $600K+ sponsorship to restore iconic Western Auto sign with LEDs and lifetime maintenance, but HOA rejected proposal citing other bids without sponsorship requirements

Workers, Speaker Criticize Plan to Axe Data Center Tax Exemption

https://virginiamercury.com/2026/02/27/workers-speaker-scott-criticize-plan-to-axe-data-center-tax-exemption-as-budgets-advance/

Virginia workers and House Speaker Don Scott oppose legislative effort to eliminate data center sales tax exemptions as state budget negotiations advance

Why We Don't Put More Power Lines Underground

https://www.wbur.org/news/2026/02/26/underground-power-lines-outages-electricity-utility-blizzard-hurricane

Analysis of why utilities resist burying power lines despite reduced outages from blizzards and hurricanes, examining cost and technical challenges

$26.5B Secured for Grid Upgrades

https://www.al.com/news/2026/02/alabama-power-secures-part-of-265-billion-loan-for-electrical-grid-upgrades.html

Alabama Power secures portion of $26.5 billion federal loan program designated for electrical grid infrastructure modernization and upgrades

AI Boom Faces Electric Shock

https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/us-ai-boom-faces-electric-shock-2026-02-25/

US artificial intelligence expansion confronts major electricity supply constraints as power demand from data centers strains grid capacity