AI & Grid Strain: Google, Nvidia and Emerald AI launched the AI Energy Management Alliance, pushing data centers to act like grid assets via flexible power draw and on-site storage to avoid overload as AI demand surges. US Ratepayer Fight: The US House passed the Ratepayer Protection Act, aiming to stop residents from paying for data-center-driven generation and transmission upgrades; it now heads to the Senate amid criticism it may not go far enough. Nuclear Expansion Talks: India’s Power Minister Manohar Lal met US Energy Secretary Chris Wright at G20 in Houston to discuss India’s nuclear buildout and clean energy cooperation, including emerging AI/data-center power needs. Policy Shock on Fossil Power: The US House also advanced a bill giving Trump authority to impose up to 100% tariffs on countries buying Russian energy, while multiple reports highlight EPA rollbacks on power-plant emissions. Grid Reliability in the Philippines: The Visayas grid issued a two-hour yellow alert due to low supply, with outages tied to unavailable units and derated plants; DOE is pursuing battery and generation fixes. Renewables at the Local Level: China’s solar surpassed coal by installed capacity; MMDA in Manila is exploring solar for facilities and EV charging; Belize fast-tracked solar-plus-storage targets after an energy emergency. Industry Procurement: A-One Steels signed 16 solar and wind PPAs for 230 MW to power manufacturing, while SEIA and CCSA plan to merge to strengthen solar-and-storage advocacy.