Increased power demand is creating an opportunity for investors.
Energy companies can turn artificial intelligence needs into revenue.
Increased cash inflows allow for reliable dividend payouts and increases.
In any industry, identifying companies experiencing increased demand for their products and services can help investors build a robust dividend portfolio. After all, it's that constant, reliable cash flow that allows companies not only to pay dividends but also to increase their payouts over time.
For energy companies, there are many future revenue opportunities emerging as power demand increases. Those companies that show the promise of doing so can serve as reliable portfolio holdings as dividend payers for years and even decades ahead.
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Four companies to consider now are Enbridge (NYSE: ENB), Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE: EPD), Energy Transfer (NYSE: ET), and MPLX (NYSE: MPLX). Of course, it's important to monitor debt levels to ensure these payouts can continue. Still, some of the companies have consistently increased their payouts for decades.
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Enbridge is utilizing multiple energy sources to meet growing power demand driven by data center strain on grids from the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). "Against this backdrop, debates over which energy source should power AI miss the point. AI's appetite for energy -- relative to what the grid has available today -- will demand every tool available," Enbridge shared in an October 2025 company post.
Data centers are already being built near its gas transmission network, and it's also tapping into solar power for other projects. Meta Platforms signed an agreement with Enbridge in July 2025 to purchase all the renewable energy output from a solar facility in Texas, which is expected to start service in the summer of 2027 and generate more cash than it costs to operate.
As for its dividend, Enbridge has paid one for over 70 years, increasing its payout for 31 consecutive years. That dividend currently yields around 5%.
Enterprise stores and transports natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil, refined products, and petrochemicals. Its opportunity lies in the infrastructure needed for large tech and AI companies to use natural gas for electricity. Part of its assets and infrastructure includes over 50,000 miles of pipeline, 45 natural gas processing trains, and 21 deep-water docks for exports capabilities.
It also has $5.3 billion in capital projects under construction to further boost its infrastructure resources, with most expected to be in service by the end of 2027.
The midstream energy company has increased its dividend for over 27 consecutive years as of March 31, and its dividend currently yields 5.6%.
With 140,000 miles of pipeline and related infrastructure, Energy Transfer is seeing companies line up to receive supplies of natural gas.
One of its agreements is with a subsidiary of Entergy to supply natural gas to a Meta Platforms data center in Louisiana, as well as with Oracle for three of its data centers. It also recently announced that it will provide natural gas transportation services to Nexus Data Centers for its AI hyperscale campus in Texas.
It's not in the same league of regularly increasing its dividend payouts as Enbridge or Enterprise Products Partners, but its dividend yield is one of the largest on this list at 6.6%. Shareholders will just want to watch this company a little more closely to ensure the yield can be sustained.
This is another company in the natural gas business, gathering, processing, and transporting it, along with other energy operations. It serves as the primary provider of midstream services for Marathon Petroleum, which, in terms of refining capacity, is the largest U.S. refiner.
Like the other companies on this list, it's also positioning itself to meet growing data center demand, signing a letter of intent with Mara Holdings in 2025 to provide power to Mara's data center campuses in Texas.
Something to point out with MPXL is its dividend payout, currently yielding 7.8%, which quickly raises questions about sustainability. But it has a predictable cash flow through its connection to Marathon Petroleum, which formed MPXL in 2012.
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Jack Delaney has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Enbridge, Meta Platforms, and Oracle. The Motley Fool recommends Enterprise Products Partners. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.