Vertiv Agrees $1.45bn UIG Acquisition

Vertiv has agreed to acquire UtilityInnovation Group for approximately $1.45 billion in cash at closing, expanding its capabilities for power-constrained AI data centre projects. The transaction also includes potential additional cash consideration of up to $1.15 billion, subject to EBITDA targets over 12 and 24 months. Vertiv expects the deal to extend its power and cooling portfolio from grid interconnect to chip, adding microgrid controls, onsite generation orchestration, microgrid-specific switchgear and behind-the-meter power architecture. The acquisition is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

Power Architecture Expansion

At the approximately $1.45 billion purchase price, the acquisition represents around 13 times UIG’s expected 2027 EBITDA. Vertiv expects it to be accretive to adjusted earnings per share in the first year following completion.

The proposed combination would bring UIG’s microgrid controls, onsite generation and energy storage orchestration into Vertiv’s portfolio. The companies expect the added capabilities to support data centre operators pursuing grid-connected, bridge-to-grid and islanded site designs.

Gio Albertazzi, Chief Executive Officer at Vertiv, said:

“For AI data center operators, competitive advantage increasingly depends on how quickly they can move from site selection to first token. Vertiv has the most complete power and cooling portfolio in the industry. With UIG, we anticipate extending that portfolio upstream to the utility interconnect and onsite power sources, creating a coordinated architecture from source to chip without tying customers to a single generation technology or supplier.”

Microgrid Systems And Controls

UIG designs and delivers microgrid systems for AI data centre operators in the United States and Europe. Its generation-agnostic designs allow power architectures to be developed around technologies that a site can permit, fuel and finance.

The company’s offering includes behind-the-meter power architecture design, proprietary controls software, customised microgrid switchgear and energy storage. Its controls platform and pre-engineered switchgear are designed to orchestrate multiple power sources in real time and coordinate them with the critical power train.

Gio Albertazzi, Chief Executive Officer at Vertiv, continued:

“Together, we anticipate being better positioned to support grid-connected sites, bridge-to-grid deployments and islanded sites supplied by onsite generation, while reducing complexity from site planning through rack-level deployment. This broader capability can help customers accelerate time to power and, ultimately, time to first token.”

UIG’s Data Centre Footprint

Founded in 2020, UIG is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, with European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, and manufacturing operations in North Carolina and New Jersey. The company’s systems support real-time load and frequency balancing across behind-the-meter systems and utility-connected energy resources.

Vertiv expects the combination to give customers faster access to power with less dependence on utility interconnection timelines, while providing one accountable relationship from grid interconnect through rack-level infrastructure.

Sidney Hinton, Founder and CEO at UIG, said:

“UIG was founded to solve increasingly complex power challenges for data center operators through flexible, technology-agnostic architectures. Vertiv's global scale, critical infrastructure portfolio and service capabilities make it a strong strategic fit for what we have built. We believe this combination can expand the reach of UIG's microgrid controls and power architecture expertise and create greater value for customers as power becomes an increasingly critical constraint on data center growth.”

Supporting Faster Deployment

Vertiv’s existing portfolio covers critical power, cooling, IT infrastructure and services. With UIG, it expects to help customers design and deploy integrated power architectures that improve speed, resiliency, efficiency and flexibility as site capacity requirements develop.

The acquisition positions Vertiv to engage with customers earlier in the planning process, when power architecture can shape downstream infrastructure decisions. UIG’s pre-validated reference designs cover grid-connected, bridge-to-grid and islanded sites.