Skip to navigationSkip to main contentSkip to right columnADVERTISEMENTCatie Hogan, The Motley FoolThu, September 3, 2026 at 6:35 PM GMT+2 3 min readAs electricity demand surges amid AI data center growth, two utility companies stand out. NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE) and Constellation Energy (NASDAQ: CEG) are both incredibly strong businesses, but are taking different approaches to this new chapter in North American power.NextEra is both a traditional utility provider and a powerhouse in renewable energy. It is planning to spend $94 billion through 2030 in an aggressive push to build out its footprint. In May, the energy giant announced an all-stock agreement to acquire Dominion Energy. This deal will make NextEra the world's largest utility business, but the megamerger is facing intense regulatory scrutiny.Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »The company's dividend yield is holding strong at over 3%. The stock has risen just 2% this year. NextEra is a reliable income producer, but could see substantial growth through the early 2030s.Image source: The Motley Fool.Constellation's approach is completely different from NextEra's. Constellation is the largest nuclear power operator in the U.S. It's also an independent power producer, meaning it sells electricity on the open market and not through a regulated utility model. This gives it greater pricing volatility, but potentially more upside.Constellation is also a favorite among hyperscalers, including Meta Platforms and Microsoft. Its dividend yield is considerably less than NextEra's, but the earnings projections are higher.