We're in a new era of energy, electricity is the new oil, says Tortoise's Rob Thummel

Industry Overview - The energy sector has shown significant performance in 2026, with an increase of 19%, making it the best-performing sector in the S&P 500, surpassing the broader index and other sector groups [1][2] - There is a notable rotation from mega-cap tech stocks into energy, highlighting the importance of hard assets that drive the economy [3][4] Company Insights - Exxon Mobil, the largest oil and gas company in the U.S., has seen its stock rise over 20% in the past year, attributed to its strong free cash flow yield, which is above 5%, compared to other sectors in the S&P 500 that are below 3% [5][6][7] - Williams Companies, traditionally viewed as a pipeline company, is expanding into the data center market by supplying power directly to hyperscalers, which is expected to significantly grow its business and maintain lower retail electricity prices [8][11] - Williams Companies anticipates a 10% annual growth in EBITDA for the foreseeable future, with dividends likely to increase alongside this growth [11][12]