January 2026 Vol. 81 No. 1

A look ahead at 2026 underground infrastructure markets shows uneven momentum — from lukewarm oil pipelines to booming fiber, power grid expansion, and rising natural gas demand driven by data centers and federal broadband funding.

Utility and communications construction markets are heading into 2026 with strong momentum, driven by data center growth, rising power demand, grid investment and continued water and pipeline infrastructure work.

The global underground cables market is projected to grow from $32.5 billion in 2024 to $55.1 billion by 2033, driven by urbanization, power reliability needs, and rising demand for resilient energy infrastructure.

A West Texas pipeline project for Kinetik highlights how 2 Stone Industries combined trenching and HDD methods to complete a 44-mile NGL pipeline under a tight construction timeline.

Canada is accelerating plans to expand underground transmission infrastructure as utilities modernize aging grids, harden systems against extreme weather and prepare for rising urban electricity demand.

Michael C. Render, RVA LLC  According to research conducted by RVA for the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) and data from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), 2025 marked a record year for fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) deployment. During this period, 11.8 million additional homes were passed an..

AI, IoT sensors and fiber-optic monitoring are reshaping how utilities manage buried assets. New digital tools promise real-time visibility, predictive maintenance and smarter risk management for aging underground infrastructure.

Improving QA/QC documentation for in-building CIPP projects is becoming an industry expectation, helping contractors reduce risk, improve transparency and strengthen client confidence.

UI’s January New Products highlights new equipment and tools from Vermeer, Komatsu and General Machine Products, including a mobile equipment management app, a multifunction excavator and a fiber blowing workstation.

John Deere Deere & Company entered into an agreement to acquire Tenna, a construction technology company, and a holding of The Conti Group, which offers mixed-fleet equipment operations and asset tracking solutions.  Based in New Hope, Pa., Tenna offers an integrated construction technology platf..

McElroy promotes longtime HR leader Steve Caldwell to vice president of human resources, recognizing more than 15 years of workforce and safety leadership, while the underground construction industry remembers Vermeer veteran Tod Michael, a respected engineer and mentor whose career spanned nearly three decades.