This Week in Trades — April 26, 2026

Power and Utility Construction Starts Jumped 353% in March

Electric power and utility starts surged 353.6% month over month in March, according to Dodge Construction Network data published April 21. That spike drove total nonbuilding construction starts 37.9% higher for the month and pushed the overall construction starts rate to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.22 trillion — a 12.8% gain over February.

The surge was not noise. It was megaprojects. Five power-generation projects accounted for much of the jump: a $3.4 billion petrochemical plant in Louisiana, a $2.5 billion clean energy project in California, a $2.4 billion nuclear processing facility in South Carolina, and two separate $2 billion natural gas plants in Texas. Over the trailing 12 months ending March 2026, utility and gas starts are up 52.3% year over year.

For licensed electricians, the message is direct. Power generation projects of this scale require thousands of licensed workers for high-voltage switchgear installation, generator interconnections, substation wiring, and control systems. That work cannot be performed by apprentices or unlicensed helpers. The pipeline is running well ahead of the licensed workforce available to build it.

Source: Construction Dive

50% Copper Tariff Is Now in Effect — What Electrical Contractors Need to Know

Section 232 tariffs on goods made almost entirely of copper, steel, or aluminum rose to 50% under adjustments announced April 2 and effective immediately. Derivative goods substantially made of those metals carry a 25% levy. The direct impact on electrical contractors is significant: copper wire, conduit, bus bar, and switchgear components are the core materials of every electrical install.

Construction input prices were already climbing at a 12.6% annualized rate in early 2026 — the fastest pace since 2022 — before the April 2 changes took effect. Contractors are now pricing jobs without certainty on what their copper materials will ultimately cost by the time delivery is scheduled.

The tariff structure applies duties to the full sales price of imported commodity metals, not just the value-added portion. For electrical contractors, that means less flexibility to optimize procurement. The AGC updated its Tariff Resource Center on April 2 urging contractors to revisit escalation clauses and procurement timelines to protect against cost exposure on active bids.

If you are bidding commercial or industrial projects right now, build copper price contingency into your contracts explicitly. Vague escalation language will not hold up if costs move 15% between bid and delivery.

Source: Construction Dive

Construction Added 26,000 Jobs in March as Unemployment Holds at 4.3%

Construction payrolls grew by 26,000 jobs in March, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Situation report released April 3. Total nonfarm payrolls increased by 178,000 for the month. The overall unemployment rate held at 4.3%, and average hourly earnings across private payrolls rose 3.5% year over year to $37.38.

Construction employment had shown little net change over the prior 12 months before the March gain, reflecting the uneven start to 2026 — a strong January, a weak February, and a partial rebound in March. The 26,000 gain is consistent with continued activity in power and energy construction even as residential single-family starts fell 5.3% in March.

For electricians, the headline number understates where the demand is concentrated. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook projects 9% employment growth for electricians from 2024 to 2034 — three times the average for all occupations — with roughly 81,000 openings per year projected across the decade. The March jobs data reflects that the broader construction workforce continues to grow, but the licensing constraint remains the bottleneck separating workers who benefit from this market from those who do not.

Source: BLS Employment Situation Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook

OSHA's Electrical Roll Up Initiative: 74% of Electrical Fatalities Hit Non-Electrical Workers

OSHA launched its Electrical Roll Up Initiative in March, targeting electrical hazard awareness across construction sites. The number that should get every electrician's attention: 74% of workplace electrical fatalities occur in nonelectrical occupations. Construction laborers, roofers, HVAC mechanics, and painters account for a disproportionate share of electrical deaths — workers who encounter live systems but are not trained to recognize hazard boundaries.

The initiative focuses on three practical areas: inspection of electrical cords and ground fault circuit interrupters on job sites, extension cord safety, and proper use of power tool cords. OSHA has published a toolbox talk, a fact sheet using the Hierarchy of Controls, and a customizable PowerPoint presentation that employers can use for site training.

For licensed electricians working alongside multi-trade crews, this initiative is a reminder that your responsibility does not stop at your own work. Unlicensed workers on the same site are operating near energized systems without the training to assess the risk. NFPA 70E's safe work practices and lockout/tagout procedures exist precisely because the hazard does not care what trade you are in — only whether the system is properly controlled.

Source: Safety+Health Magazine Source: OSHA

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