Alabama already has an energy bank. Now it needs to act like one.

This is a guest opinion column

Last year, electricity bills for Alabama homeowners and businesses rose by over 6%, an above-average increase relative to other states in the nation. In 2026, Alabamians will likely see further price hikes, especially as developers seek rural land to construct new, power-hungry data centers. Combined with global oil and gas supply disruptions, next year’s increase could be even larger.