Nearly five years ago, a rare winter storm barreled toward Texas and several surrounding states, bringing with it the prospect of widespread power outages and major impacts to the grid infrastructure across the region. It exposed deep vulnerabilities across the state’s power system, causing widespread disruptions for businesses, hospitals, and critical services. But it was also a wake-up call for the entire energy industry, forcing a hard reckoning with how infrastructure performs under truly extreme conditions.

For years, the data center conversation has been defined by a single anxiety: the grid cannot keep pace with accelerating demand. But FERC’s unanimous decision in December 2025 changed the math for one of its RTOs, which may be the ripple that generates a larger wave of action.

Manufacturers, hospitals, and other commercial and industrial customers are finding it harder to secure reliable, affordable power as grid constraints intensify and competition for capacity grows alongside large data center loads. This article explores how onsite generation is moving beyond backup power to deliver bridge power, cost control, and operational flexibility for C&I businesses navigating a more constrained energy landscape.