When interest rates rise, dividend stocks can sometimes fall because investors switch to lower-risk income options, like CDs. But there's another issue facing utilities, given that these capital-intensive businesses make heavy use of debt financing. Thus, rising costs are a second headwind for the sector. Over the long term, however, regulated utilities should adjust and continue to provide reliable income streams to shareholders. If you think in decades, you'll want to consider adding NextEra Energy (NEE 1 ...