Southern's Subsidiary Backs Edged to Expand Green Data Centers

Southern Company’s SO subsidiary PowerSecure has announced a significant expansion of its strategic alliance with Edged, a premier developer of ultra-efficient and sustainable data centers across the United States. Originally launched with the Edged Atlanta campus that commenced commercial operations in August 2024, this alliance now spans major U.S. markets. To date, PowerSecure has successfully delivered 152 megawatts of critical load capacity, reinforcing Edged's rapidly expanding digital infrastructure footprint.

PowerSecure and Edged: Shaping the Future of Energy for Data Centers

The alliance between Southern’s unit, PowerSecure and Edged is engineered to meet the growing demands of the digital era, where data centers must be more than just operational. Data centers must be efficient, sustainable and capable of supporting intensive workloads. PowerSecure delivers advanced, resilient power distribution solutions that are uniquely tailored to the rigorous needs of high-performance computing environments. With a focus on reliability and adaptability, these systems are central to the success of Edged’s facilities in strategic locations, including Atlanta, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Des Moines, Kansas City and Phoenix.

Each of these locations is powered by a bespoke configuration of advanced energy solutions, helping Edged maintain continuous operations while upholding its core commitment to environmental stewardship and operational efficiency. This collaboration represents more than just an energy partnership, it is a redefinition of how energy and technology converge to power the infrastructure of the future.

Waterless Cooling and Zero Compromise on Efficiency

Edged has established itself as a leader in sustainable data center design by prioritizing energy and water conservation at every stage of development. Unlike traditional data centers that consume vast amounts of water for cooling, each Edged facility is designed to operate without using a single drop of water for this purpose. This revolutionary approach not only conserves millions of gallons of water per facility each year but also enables consistent performance in regions facing extreme heat or water scarcity.

This sustainable innovation does not come at the expense of performance. In fact, Edged’s facilities are purpose-built to deliver unmatched operational efficiency. By leveraging cutting-edge design and engineering, each location reduces overhead energy consumption by an impressive 74%. These centers are optimized for dense AI-inference workloads and compute-intensive applications, allowing to deliver peak performance while maintaining low environmental impact.

Mutual Commitment to Reliability and Technological Advancement

At the heart of this partnership is a shared mission to build scalable and dependable infrastructure for the modern digital landscape. Jim Smith, president of PowerSecure, emphasized this mutual commitment by highlighting the importance of resilience, customization and forward-looking innovation. With each project, PowerSecure brings deep expertise in mission-critical energy systems that ensure constant uptime, support high-density workloads and align with both environmental and performance objectives.

Edged continues to redefine what is possible in digital infrastructure by working exclusively with partners that share its values and vision for a sustainable future. The collaboration ensures that every new facility is built not only to perform at the highest level but to do so with minimal ecological impact.

PowerSecure’s Advanced Solutions Built for Continuous Operation

PowerSecure brings more than conventional backup power to the table. Its systems are designed from the ground up for efficiency, resilience and environmental responsibility. Each Edged facility is equipped with PowerSecure’s Tier 4 Final PowerBlocks, a solution that meets the most stringent EPA emissions requirements. These power units provide ultra-low emissions, enhanced fuel efficiency and superior air quality while ensuring 24/7 operational continuity even in the face of utility disruptions or surges in demand.

These systems are further enhanced by microgrid technology, which enables localized energy production and distribution. With autonomous frequency regulation and smart load balancing, PowerSecure’s infrastructure allows each data center to dynamically adjust to changing power needs without sacrificing performance or sustainability. This intelligent, real-time management ensures that energy is used where and when it is needed most, maximizing efficiency across the entire operation.

Scalable Infrastructure to Support a Growing Digital World

As the demand for cloud services, AI, machine learning and real-time analytics continues to skyrocket, the infrastructure that powers this digital transformation must be robust, scalable and future-ready. PowerSecure’s role in Edged’s rapid expansion is a testament to its capacity to deliver energy solutions that are not only powerful but also scalable to meet evolving demands.

Mitch Fonseca, chief operating officer at Edged, underscored the value of this partnership by pointing out the reliability and sustainability PowerSecure brings to every deployment. With Edged’s facilities supporting increasingly complex and power-hungry AI workloads, the ability to scale without compromising efficiency or uptime is crucial. Together, the organizations are laying the foundation for a nationwide platform of ultra-sustainable, AI-ready data centers.

Setting the Benchmark for Clean Power and Digital Resilience

The alliance between Edged and PowerSecure is about more than technology. It represents the establishment of a new industry standard. By combining state-of-the-art infrastructure with a deep-rooted commitment to clean, safe and reliable energy, the alliance is showing how data centers can grow responsibly. These facilities are not just efficient, they are designed to thrive under stress, adapt to future innovations and perform under the most demanding workloads.

This partnership reflects a broader movement toward decentralized, intelligent power infrastructure that is flexible enough to support next-generation technologies while being grounded in sustainable principles. It is a model that other players in the data center and energy sectors will likely consider as the gold standard in the years to come.

Conclusion: A Bold Step Toward the Future of Digital Infrastructure

The expanded collaboration between PowerSecure and Edged is not just a business alliance. It is a strategic move toward redefining how digital infrastructure is powered in the modern age. With 152 megawatts of critical capacity already deployed and more in development, this partnership is leading the charge in the evolution of sustainable, resilient and intelligent data center ecosystems.

As both companies look ahead, their joint vision becomes increasingly clear, a world where clean, reliable and scalable energy powers the most advanced digital systems with minimal environmental cost. In a time of growing energy demands and ecological awareness, this partnership exemplifies the future of responsible technological advancement.

SO’s Zacks Rank and Key Picks

Southern is one of the largest energy providers in the United States, delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy to millions of customers. With a strong focus on innovation and sustainability, the company leads the transition to a smarter and more resilient energy future. PowerSecure, a subsidiary of Southern, specializes in distributed energy technologies and resilient power solutions for critical infrastructure. The company is known for its advanced microgrid systems, energy storage and custom power solutions that support sustainability and operational reliability.

Currently, SO carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Investors interested in the utility sector might look at some better-ranked stocks like Fortis Inc. FTS, which sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy),  Evergy, Inc. EVRG and E.ON SE EONGY, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Fortis is worth approximately $24.15 billion. It currently pays a dividend of $1.78 per share, or 3.70% on an annual basis.   Fortis is a leading electric and gas utility firm serving customers across Canada, the United States and the Caribbean, with extensive electricity generation, transmission and distribution operations.

Founded in 1885 and headquartered in Saint John's, Canada, the company operates a vast network of power and gas infrastructure, providing energy to thousands of residential, commercial and industrial customers.

Evergy is worth approximately $14.97 billion. It currently pays a dividend of $2.67 per share, or 4.10% on an annual basis.

Evergy is a leading energy company engaged in the generation, transmission, distribution and sale of electricity across the United States. Utilizing a diverse mix of coal, natural gas, renewable sources like solar and wind, Evergy serves residential, commercial, industrial and municipal customers with reliable power solutions.

E.ON SE is worth approximately $45.97 billion. It currently pays a dividend of 46 cents per share, or 2.59% on an annual basis.  E.ON SE is a multinational energy company headquartered in Essen, Germany, operating across Europe and internationally through its Energy Networks, Energy Infrastructure Solutions and Energy Retail segments.

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