Connect Servers to Other Servers

Once power is generated, it must be converted, distributed, and delivered to the rack. The 800V Power Architecture trend transforms this layer from a commodity business into a technology race. Traditional data centers ran 480V AC to each rack. New AI data centers are moving to 800V DC bus distribution — halving current for the same power, which means thinner copper, lower losses, and smaller PDUs.

Eaton is the dominant Western supplier of data center electrical infrastructure: switchgear, PDUs, UPS systems, and busway. They're riding the 800V transition by redesigning their product line around SiC-based power electronics. ABB holds the European equivalent position, with particular strength in medium-voltage conversion and HVDC (high-voltage direct current) distribution.

Powell Industries makes the custom-engineered switchgear for large data centers — the bespoke electrical rooms that handle 100MW+ loads. They're capacity-constrained with backlogs extending beyond 12 months. Hubbell provides the electrical components (connectors, enclosures, wiring devices) that sit between the major equipment.

The structural insight: this layer has the longest lead times in the data center build. A custom switchgear lineup for a 100MW data center takes 12-18 months to engineer and deliver. That lead time doesn't compress with demand — if anything, it extends as Powell, Eaton, and ABB prioritize their existing order books. This means the electrical infrastructure constrains how fast new data centers can come online, regardless of how quickly the building shell (L16) can be erected.