Sept. 8, 2026 — MANITOWOC, Wis. — Orion Energy Systems (Nasdaq: OESX), a comprehensive solutions provider specializing in energy-efficient LED lighting, electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, and maintenance services, announced that it has received another follow-on order from a top-tier global data center operator to continue supplying its MPHL2 LED lighting solution, with the order value in the tens of millions of dollars.

Following the announcement, the capital markets responded swiftly. On the same day, Orion's share price rose approximately 17%, briefly touching a four-and-a-half-year high during intraday trading with a gain of 16.4%. The move underscored strong market recognition of Orion's prospects in the data center lighting segment.

AI Wave Fuels Data Center Construction Boom

The world is currently in the midst of a data center construction wave driven by AI. Tens of thousands of data centers are being built at scale, creating urgent demand for efficient and reliable lighting solutions. Seizing this market opportunity, Orion officially launched the MPHL2 LED lighting solution — purpose-built for hyperscale data centers — in May 2026.

The MPHL2 is a high-efficiency linear luminaire designed to fit virtually any data center equipment room layout. Manufactured at Orion's Wisconsin facility, the product is engineered to deliver greater energy efficiency, enhanced resilience, and lower carbon emissions for data center construction.

First Partnership: First Eight-Figure Order Secured in June 2026

On June 8, 2026, Orion announced that the MPHL2 lighting solution had secured its first customer deployment, providing a customized LED lighting solution for a global hyperscale data center operator. At the time, Orion CEO Sally Washlow noted that the product, introduced to market just weeks earlier, could improve LED lighting energy efficiency across thousands of data centers.

Only three months later, the same customer placed a follow-on order with Orion. "We are honored to have earned the trust of this global leader just three months after our initial collaboration, entrusting us to serve its second facility," said Sally Washlow. "We look forward to expanding our partnership with this Fortune 20 company."

The customer's decision to authorize additional deployment within such a short timeframe was driven by two core factors: first, the MPHL2's energy efficiency significantly outperforms competing products; and second, Orion's in-house supply chain minimizes production bottlenecks, shortens lead times, and reduces exposure to market volatility, ensuring stable product supply. These two advantages enabled Orion to quickly earn deep customer trust following the initial collaboration.

The project also marks Orion's official entry into the data center lighting market.

Industry Trend: Data Center Lighting Emerges as a New Growth Driver

Orion's successive breakthroughs are no isolated case. The U.S. lighting industry is experiencing a wave of data center lighting demand driven by AI infrastructure buildout. According to industry data, approximately 3,000 new data centers are in the planning stage nationwide.

Against this backdrop, multiple lighting companies have identified data centers as a strategic growth direction. Acuity Brands, in its 2026 fiscal results, characterized data centers as a "predictable long-term growth engine" and disclosed that it has secured orders from hyperscale customers. Energy Focus, in April 2026, disclosed multi-year delivery progress on several data center infrastructure projects, one of which was substantially completed in 2025, with a total contract value estimated at approximately US$6.6 million.

From Orion securing two eight-figure orders within three months to Acuity Brands, Energy Focus, and other peers moving into the space, data center lighting has become one of the fastest-growing segments of the U.S. lighting industry.