Grid & Connectivity Troubles: Philippines’ Sen. Loren Legarda convened utilities and telecoms to diagnose recurring power and internet gaps in Antique and Aklan, pushing coordinated upgrades from substations to last-mile maintenance. Rising Costs & Affordability: Fiji’s central bank warns global oil-price volatility is feeding inflation and could worsen electricity-tariff pressure; in the US, New York’s $1B POWER rebate plan targets 8.2M eligible taxpayers. Solar Momentum: India’s Surya Ghar Yojana has topped 40 lakh rooftop-solar households, while Uttar Pradesh sees rapid buildout with Sunsure’s 105 MWp Mahoba plant under Green Energy Corridor-II; Georgia PSC approved a rate plan cutting bills by about $50/year. Storage & Firming: Lointek delivered a 50 MW / 300 MWh liquid air storage system for the UK, and India is drafting a ₹15,000 crore viability gap funding scheme for 112 GWh of storage. Nuclear & Geopolitics: Rwanda signed a Russia nuclear cooperation MoU signaling a wider shift in African partnerships; the US Navy plans to export electricity from the USS Gerald R. Ford to Naval Station Norfolk. Data Centers Pressure: A county guidance document flags major water and power demands from large data centers, as heatwaves and AI-driven load growth strain grids.