Lead times for new orders across the U.S. market. Sourcing and method are detailed below.
Equipment
Current lead time
Trend
History
Power / substation transformer
160+ weeks
↑ Elevating
Distribution / pad-mount transformer
30 weeks
↑ Elevating
—
Medium-voltage switchgear
44 weeks
↑ Elevating
—
Low-voltage switchgear
54 weeks
→ Stable
Generator step-up (GSU) transformer
144 weeks
↑ Elevating
—
Switchboards
32–41 weeks
→ Stable
Panelboards
21–32 weeks
→ Stable
Busduct / busway
27 weeks
→ Stable
Circuit breakers (commodity)
In stock
→ Stable
Order books: the leading indicator
Where supply is heading. A book-to-bill above 1.0 means orders are outpacing shipments, so the queue is still growing. Expand a row for its trailing trend.
Backlog $13.7B (Electrification) · book-to-bill 1.39 · as of Q2 2026 · “triple-digit data center order growth, no pre-ordering” · source
Siemens1.25€23.7BSmart Infrastructure
Backlog €23.7B (Smart Infrastructure) · book-to-bill 1.25 · as of Q3 FY2026 · “switchgear, switchboards, busway” · source
Eaton1.2+43% YoYElectrical
Backlog +43% YoY (Electrical) · book-to-bill 1.2 · as of 2026-07-31 · “data center momentum” · source
Generac——$1.6B
Tracking started. The trend line fills in as new quarters are captured.
Backlog $1.6B · book-to-bill not disclosed · as of 2026-07-29 · “data center backlog provides visibility to significant 2027 growth” · source
nVent——$2.6B
Tracking started. The trend line fills in as new quarters are captured.
Backlog $2.6B · book-to-bill not disclosed · as of 2026-05-01 · “data center growth in both the gray and white space” · source
Schneider Electric——€21.3BEnergy Mgmt
Tracking started. The trend line fills in as new quarters are captured.
Backlog €21.3B (Energy Mgmt) · book-to-bill not disclosed · as of FY2025 · “Square D parent; backlog +21% YoY” · source
Hitachi Energy——$63.6B
Tracking started. The trend line fills in as new quarters are captured.
Backlog $63.6B · book-to-bill not disclosed · as of Q1 FY2026 · “large power transformers, HV switchgear; backlog +10% in one quarter” · source
Hammond Power Solutions——+96.9% YoY
Tracking started. The trend line fills in as new quarters are captured.
Backlog +96.9% YoY · book-to-bill not disclosed · as of Q2 2026 · “dry-type & distribution transformers” · source
Macro pulse
Two measures of order-queue pressure. Industry order backlog divides Census M3 unfilled orders by one month’s shipments for NAICS 3353, electrical equipment manufacturing, giving the months of ordered-but-undelivered work the industry carries. Monthly since 1992, and computed here from the two component series: Census publishes a ready-made ratio only for the broader NAICS 335. ISM Supplier Deliveries surveys purchasing managers across all manufacturing and is inverted, readings above 50 indicate slowing deliveries.
Industry order backlog5.47 mo1.71× pre-2020NAICS 3353
Census M3 unfilled orders ÷ monthly shipments, electrical equipment manufacturing · latest 5.47 months (2026-06-01) · versus a 3.2-month average across 2017–2019, and a peak of 7.07 in 2022-10. Census publishes a ready-made ratio only for the broader NAICS 335, which includes appliances, lighting and wire; that series reads 4.03. Computed by Vawn from A35CUO ÷ A35CVS.
ISM Supplier Deliveries58.9above 50 = slower
ISM Manufacturing Supplier Deliveries Index · latest 58.9 (2026-07-01) · trailing 12 months · readings above 50 mean deliveries are slowing.
Wood Mackenzie: T&D supply-chain survey. The substation transformer figure is Wood Mackenzie’s 2026 read of above 160 weeks. Its last published per-equipment survey, from Q2 2025, put power transformers at 128 weeks, GSU transformers at 143–144 and switchgear at 44; the GSU and switchgear rows still carry those Q2 2025 figures.
NEMA: distribution transformer lead times and domestic-capacity figures.
IEA: transmission-grid equipment lead times (largest units up to ~4 years).
Company SEC filings (EDGAR):Eaton, Powell, Vertiv, GE Vernova, nVent, Generac, Hubbell. Backlog and book-to-bill, normalized across quarters. Not every manufacturer quantifies both every quarter, several name data centers as the demand driver without stating either, so a figure carries forward from the last quarter that stated it, labelled with that date rather than presented as current.
Manufacturer investor relations (foreign filers, not on EDGAR): Schneider Electric, ABB, Siemens, Siemens Energy, Hitachi Energy, Hammond Power Solutions. Order backlog and book-to-bill from each company’s latest published results; segment book-to-bill is orders ÷ revenue where a company publishes only a group ratio. Schneider quantifies its backlog only at full-year results, so its row still carries the FY2025 figure.
Census M3 Manufacturers’ Shipments, Inventories and Orders: unfilled orders (A35CUO) divided by monthly shipments (A35CVS) for NAICS 3353, Electrical Equipment Manufacturing, months of ordered-but-undelivered work, monthly since 1992. Census publishes a ready-made ratio only for the broader NAICS 335, which folds in appliances, lighting and wire; the gear-only ratio shown here is computed by Vawn from the two component series.
Distributor inventory: public stock availability for commodity breakers and panels.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long are electrical equipment lead times in 2026?
They vary widely by type. Power and substation transformers run over 160 weeks, medium-voltage switchgear about 44 weeks, low-voltage switchgear about 54 weeks, switchboards 32 to 41 weeks, and panelboards 21 to 32 weeks, while commodity items like standard circuit breakers are largely in stock.
Which electrical equipment has the longest lead time?
Large power, substation and generator step-up (GSU) transformers. Wood Mackenzie's 2026 read puts substation units above 160 weeks, roughly three years, with the largest high-voltage units reaching up to four years. GSU transformers were last surveyed at 144 weeks.
Are electrical equipment lead times improving in 2026?
No. The summer 2026 earnings round showed order books getting longer, not shorter: Powell booked a record 3.0 book-to-bill in the quarter ended June 30, and GE Vernova (1.7), Siemens Energy (1.48), ABB (1.39), Siemens (1.25) and Eaton (1.2) all remain above 1.0, meaning orders keep outrunning shipments. The ISM Supplier Deliveries Index also turned back up to 58.9 in July from 57.4 in June, reversing the spring's brief easing; any reading above 50 means deliveries are still slowing.
Why are electrical equipment lead times so long?
Demand from data centers, grid modernization, and electrification outpaced a manufacturing base that shrank about 10 percent since 2020. Engineered, made-to-order gear has no slack, while commodity items remain widely available.
How long are switchgear lead times in 2026?
Medium-voltage switchgear runs about 44 weeks per industry surveys; low-voltage switchgear is about 54 weeks from Siemens' published schedule, with switchboards at 32 to 41 weeks. Data-center demand is the main driver, and all remain well above pre-2020 norms.
What is the difference between medium- and low-voltage switchgear lead times?
Medium-voltage (MV) switchgear averages roughly 44 weeks; low-voltage (LV) switchgear is currently about 54 weeks. MV is the larger, more engineered assembly, but both are made-to-order and sit far above their pre-pandemic norms.
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