AGP Executive Report

Battery Storage Deal (Australia): Amazon signed its first APAC standalone battery storage tolling deal with Anza Power for the 50MW/200MWh Bairnsdale BESS in Victoria, aiming to boost grid reliability and dispatch flexibility. Grid Bottleneck (Europe): A new analysis argues Europe’s next energy challenge is no longer generation costs, but grid connection delays that can stall projects even after financing and demand are lined up. Nuclear Supply Chain (UK): Siemens Energy’s Newcastle Byker facility will build steam turbines for Rolls-Royce SMRs, marking a major reindustrialisation push for nuclear components. Data Centers & Power (US): Air quality permits were issued for Amazon and Duke Energy engines tied to a North Carolina data center buildout, including emergency backup and temporary “bridge power.” Energy Security Policy (Malaysia): Malaysia’s economy minister called for a managed transition that balances reliability and affordability, with diversification including nuclear, renewables, storage, hydrogen and bioenergy. Gas Generation (Serbia-Azerbaijan): Serbia’s EPS, Srbijagas and SOCAR completed talks on a joint venture to build a up-to-500MW gas-fired plant, targeting new electricity and heat capacity. Renewables for Industry (Norway): Hydro and Statkraft signed a long-term PPA securing about 8.8TWh annually for Hydro’s aluminium plants from 2031-2040. AI Power Demand (US): Berkshire Hathaway CEO Greg Abel said the real constraint on AI growth is getting sites ready and connected to the grid, not producing power. Nuclear Build (Kazakhstan): Kazakhstan signed the main contract with Rosatom for its first nuclear plant near Lake Balkhash, targeting two VVER-1200 reactors and major construction starting in 2027.

Grid Reliability & Outages: Tasmania’s Tungatinah hydro station fire has left about 300 customers without power, with Hydro Tasmania and TasNetworks saying the wider system remains secure while repairs continue. Storm Recovery: One week after a derecho restored most power in Gary, Indiana, residents say recovery is still stalled—some report waiting on FEMA inspections and aid follow-ups. Affordability Pressure: Delaware’s Delmarva Power has boosted its rate increase request to $75.8 million, drawing scrutiny from the Delaware Public Advocate over affordability and the size of the proposed residential bill impact. Renewables Momentum (China): China’s solar capacity has edged past coal for the first time, while Xinjiang highlights “green, smart” energy development paired with long-duration storage. Data Centers & Power Demand: West Virginia’s Mammoth Solar project—backed by Google, MN8 Energy and Eos—pairs solar with long-duration storage to supply data centers, underscoring how AI load is reshaping generation and storage buildouts. Policy & Regulation: The Philippines’ Visayas grid remains under red alert during peak hours, with load dropping possible, while the U.S. House advances nuclear-focused bills aimed at cutting licensing and regulatory burdens.

Grid Security & Disruption: Germany is investigating two suspected sabotage attacks on power substations, including explosive devices and a deliberate short-circuit near Cologne, with officials warning of hybrid warfare risks. Regional Power Reliability: The Philippines’ Visayas grid was placed back under red alert despite some Cebu generation returning, with manual load dropping possible if supply and reserves can’t meet demand. Tax Relief for Bills: The Philippines’ BIR is preparing a circular to remove VAT on the allowable system loss charge, aiming to pass immediate relief to electricity consumers. Grid Modernization: China plans “new-type” power grids for 2026–2030, using IT-driven backbone and smarter microgrid interactions to handle rising demand. Renewables Build-Out: Adani Green operationalised a 139 MW solar plant at Khavda, while South Africa’s Lion Thorn 49 MWp solar park reached financial close for commissioning in 2028. Energy Finance & Markets: IMF warned persistent energy shocks and rising debt threaten global growth, even as AI-driven power demand lifts investment. Data Centers vs Power Costs: A US national pledge seeks to shift more data-center grid upgrade costs off ratepayers, as regulators and utilities face mounting backlash over electricity bills.

Grid Policy & Consumer Costs: The Philippines’ DOF warns scrapping VAT on electricity system loss charges could cut about P10 billion a year in revenue, pending an ERC-to-BIR policy confirmation that would change how utilities bill the pass-through charge. Renewables vs. Curtailment: India is seeing rising demand but still curtailed nearly 11 TWh of solar in 15 months because transmission and storage can’t shift clean power fast enough. China Power Shift: China’s installed solar capacity hit 1.286 TW, overtaking coal for the first time, while solar still produces less than coal on a generation basis—keeping coal as near-term backup. Data Centers as a Power Driver: Thailand’s PDP 2026 draft flags data centers and AI adding up to 8.8 GW demand, pushing reliability metrics beyond reserve margins. Geothermal Deal: Fervo Energy surged after signing a 396 MW geothermal PPA with Google for a Utah data center, with options for more capacity. Energy Security & Infrastructure: Nigeria’s power minister urged treating grids like fuel in energy security planning, while Montana regulators ordered NorthWestern to redo its 20-year power plan over modeling gaps. Local Reliability: A Gurugram society in Sector 104 reported a 23-hour outage tied to feeder-line/control-panel issues, highlighting persistent distribution fault and communication problems.

Philippines-US Energy Governance: The Philippines is now a candidate for a full Millennium Challenge Corp. compact after a $60m threshold grant aimed at energy-sector reforms, with MCC still deciding which countries qualify for negotiations. Grid + Renewables Policy: India’s power ministry allows developers to store curtailed T-GNA renewable electricity in co-located BESS and sell it in the open market, turning “lost” generation into monetizable supply. UAE Clean Power Push: The UAE raised its 2030-31 clean energy target to 35%, citing cheaper renewables, expanding grids, and longer-duration battery storage. Embedded Electricity Funding: Light raised $46m Series A to scale embedded electricity for businesses, tackling licensing, procurement, and grid integration hurdles. US Storage Boom: US utility-scale energy storage hit a record quarter with 20.2 GWh installed in Q2, driven by data-center demand and rising reliability needs. South Africa Accountability: Civil society is increasingly shaping South Africa’s energy future through court challenges and pushback against projects deemed unlawful or unaffordable. Abaco Hybrid Build: Bahamas’ Abaco hybrid solar+LNG+storage project is on track, with solar connection expected in November. Texas Water + Data Centers: Sierra Club urged Texas lawmakers to require data centers to report water use and to better plan for water impacts from gas and coal plants powering them. Geothermal Deal Signal: Fervo Energy shares jumped after its biggest-ever Google supply agreement for nearly 400 MW from Utah geothermal.

Grid & Markets: China’s installed photovoltaic capacity overtook coal-fired power for the first time, reaching 1.286 billion kW by end-July, signaling a major shift in the world’s biggest power market. Data Centers & Power Demand: Arizona AG Kris Mayes urged a pause on new data centers, citing water and electricity strain, while Kansas cities (Edgerton, El Dorado, Emporia) face lawsuits over citizen petitions to restrict large data centers. Energy Security & Critical Minerals: Nova Minerals briefed U.S. officials on Alaska antimony plans tied to domestic supply goals, with DoE backing and potential infrastructure support. Oil Geopolitics: Reuters reports U.S.-backed North American Blue Energy Partners will take over 17 Venezuelan oilfields previously linked to Chinese and Russian firms, with a Pentagon stake and U.S. purchase rights. Renewables & Affordability: Cape Town signed two 20-year solar power deals for 70MW, pricing 19–21% below Eskom and linking increases to CPI. Storage & Cooling for AI: SK On signed a 9 GWh ESS supply deal with NeoVolta for U.S. deployment, and SLB agreed to buy Kelvion for $4.1B to expand AI data center thermal management. Grid Reliability: Indiana Gov. Mike Braun demanded a probe of NIPSCO after storm outages in Gary, as thousands still faced disruptions.

Grid & Renewables: India’s renewable share hit 19.9% of total generation in July, up from 16.9% a year earlier, with renewables rising over 30% YoY as solar, wind and biomass climbed to 36,355 MW. Project Pipeline: NLC India picked an engineering consultant for a 600 MW solar project in Rajasthan paired with 300 MW/1,800 MWh storage. Storage & PPAs: Chandigarh Power Distribution signed a 25-year ISTS PPA with SECI for 50 MW solar plus battery storage, while Portugal opened consultation on a National Energy Storage Strategy targeting 6.9 GW by 2030. Grid Reliability Stress: Metro Cebu faces one-hour rotational brownouts as the Visayas grid slips under demand, with multiple plant outages and reduced generation. Policy & Security: Trump’s executive order aims to restrict foreign equipment in U.S. bulk power grids, with cybersecurity and remote-access concerns driving the move. Supply Chain & Industry: SK On signed a five-year LFP cell supply deal with NeoVolta Power for 9 GWh annually (2027-2031), boosting U.S. ESS production. International Energy Moves: Enbridge, with KKR and Apollo, agreed to invest about $1.95B in expanding its Westcoast gas pipeline system in British Columbia.

Grid Security & War Risk: Russia says it is preparing “massive strikes” on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in retaliation for Kyiv attacks, as the death toll from a warehouse strike near Kyiv rose to 38. Power Market Bankability: Nigeria’s electricity decentralisation is struggling to attract investment, with payment security, creditworthiness and regulation gaps keeping the sector from funding scale-up. Tariff & Fuel Cost Pressure: Pakistan’s business groups oppose a proposed Rs36.54bn recovery from consumers via fuel adjustment, arguing it’s another tariff shock amid weak planning and RLNG shortages. Infrastructure Upgrades: Pakistan invited bids to rehabilitate Guddu Power Plant’s ST-16 steam turbine, targeting lower generation cost and adding 297MW by December 2028. Energy Storage Supply Chain: South Korea’s SK On signed a five-year 9GWh LFP battery cell deal with U.S. NeoVolta, with a possible follow-on 9GWh expansion. Smart Grid Modernisation: Sri Lanka approved a $12.5m smart-meter rollout for 300,000 meters and time-of-use billing. Electrification Demand Signal: A new push is underway as electricity demand grows faster than total energy, driven by EVs, data centers and heat-driven cooling.

Green Finance for Clean Industry: SBM Bank Kenya agreed a $17m financing deal with Safer Power Group to expand local manufacturing of clean-energy electrical equipment, aiming to boost East Africa’s supply of switchboards, control panels and battery racks. Grid Rules Get Tougher: Pakistan’s Nepra rolled out the Performance Standards (Distribution) Regulations 2026, replacing 2005 rules and adding guaranteed service targets covering outage restoration, complaints, quality, safety, digitalisation and EV charging readiness. Power Affordability Pressure: UK Energy Institute President Andy Brown warned the country risks a “death spiral” of high prices and weaker demand, arguing electricity gets cheaper only when consumption grows from industry, EVs, heat pumps and data centres. Renewables Build-Out in Egypt: Egypt’s energy minister and Masdar reviewed progress on wind, solar and battery projects, including a 1,000MW wind farm and 1,000MW solar plus storage, with some capacity targeting grid connection by end-2026. Solar Procurement for Rail: NCRTC signed a 110MW solar power purchase deal to supply nearly 60% of the Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor’s needs at a fixed tariff for 25 years. Energy Under Fire in Ukraine: Russia says it is preparing large-scale strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as the death toll from a Kyiv-area depot attack rose to 38. Distribution Reliability in Focus (India): Jaipur’s NEET-PG exam was disrupted by a power failure affecting 2,445 candidates; a retest is set for Sept. 5. Oman Wind Momentum: Duqm advanced two wind projects to construction-ready status, totaling 58MW and about 190GWh annually.

Nuclear Safety Watch: Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia plant has been without off-site power for over a week, now running on emergency diesel with only about 10 days of fuel on site, as the IAEA warns the situation could worsen without restored external power. Grid Resilience Under Fire: The IAEA says it’s seeking a local ceasefire to repair damaged lines, after drone incidents injured staff and raised fresh safety concerns. Power Theft Crackdown: Nigeria’s federal government has ordered a transparent investigation into alleged electricity theft and unaccounted losses on the 132kV Ikorodu–Sagamu corridor, with discrepancies up to 100MW and estimated annual losses of N120bn. Storm-Driven Outages: In San Antonio, CPS Energy reported tens of thousands still without power after severe storms, warning some outages could last several days as crews tackle downed lines and broken poles. Cross-Border Supply: Nepal is seeking earlier-than-usual approvals to import electricity from India after floods damaged hydropower capacity, cutting generation and reducing exports. Renewables Buildout: El Salvador is pushing a $1bn, decade-long grid expansion plan to modernize transmission, add storage, and better integrate renewables to attract data centers and other high-demand users.

Pakistan Hydropower Row: Pakistan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and WAPDA both rejected claims that the Diamer-Bhasha Dam’s 4,500MW power component was cancelled, calling the reports “baseless” and saying planning for hydropower continues with WAPDA. Grid Reliability & Losses: Nigeria’s Power Ministry flagged up to 100MW of losses on the 132kV Ikorodu–Sagamu corridor, citing discrepancies worth about N120bn and ordering a transparent, data-driven probe into possible theft, meter tampering, or illegal connections. Storm-Driven Outages: Severe storms hit the US, knocking out power for up to 100,000 CPS Energy customers in San Antonio, while Mykolaiv in Ukraine reported a drone attack leaving 300,000 without power. Renewables Buildout: Spain extended two nuclear plants for three years, while the Philippines moved to speed offshore wind land/permit processing; in Pakistan, authorities also cited RLNG shortages cutting generation by about 3,600MW overnight. New Power Projects: Nigeria’s Edo state issued licences for a 100MW power project targeting end-2026 completion, and the Bahamas toured a hybrid solar-LNG plant for Abaco with battery storage.

Offshore wind legal fight: California sued the Trump administration and Golden State Wind over a deal that canceled a planned Morro Bay offshore wind project in exchange for a $120m federal reimbursement and a fossil-fuel investment pledge, arguing the agreement violates federal law and threatens jobs. Grid reliability & demand stress: St. George, Utah issued a “red alert” asking residents to conserve power after a regional transformer issue left tens of thousands without power and the local grid is still recovering. Nuclear tech demos: Deployable Energy was selected for full-power nuclear battery demonstrations with Idaho National Laboratory and Hornbeck Offshore, aiming to validate performance in operational environments. Home energy reality check: Homeowners say adding battery backup can jump from ~$8k to ~$15k+ after upgrades and permitting needs, underlining how “expansion” costs can surprise. Renewables for data centers: China’s Ningxia shows green power feeding AI computing directly via a solar farm and a growing wind buildout, as operators chase steadier supply for training and inference. Battery storage growth in India: Juniper Green Energy reported a 79% YoY rise in Q1 income and added 601 MWp renewables plus 403 MWh of BESS, pushing operational capacity higher. Local power politics: Temecula, California residents and the mayor are pushing back on SDG&E’s 500-kV Golden Pacific Powerlink transmission plan after an open house drew heavy criticism.

Data-center power policy: Australia shelved a proposed federal rule pushing data centers to use renewables, after objections from Queensland and other states; the shift points to tougher, more consistent standards coming via federal-state talks. New Jersey accountability: Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed a law requiring data centers over 100MW to report energy and water use semiannually, including cooling vs IT loads and peak water demand—while critics call for a broader moratorium. Grid reliability pressure: Ghana’s Energy Minister ordered GRIDCo to tighten preventive maintenance, monitoring, protection coordination, and faster restoration. Long-duration storage funding: UK manganese flow-battery developer Certain Energy raised £10m to scale manufacturing and prepare grid deployments. AI-driven demand meets constraints: Ohio manufacturers warned that data-center electricity forecasts may be overstated, raising costs for customers and stressing transmission planning. Energy security and conflict: EU plans to phase out Russian LNG by 2027 amid the Iran-war-driven energy shock; in Ukraine’s Kherson, strikes destroyed CHP equipment, threatening prolonged heating and power outages. Nuclear momentum: New Hampshire is drafting a nuclear “road map,” while India highlighted nuclear’s role in energy security and a push toward 100GW by 2047. Project and market moves: Westbridge agreed to sell Alberta’s Red Willow solar-plus-storage project; Elektron Energy unveiled a 40MW embedded gas plant for Lagos’ Victoria Island.

US Grid Security: Trump declared a national emergency to block foreign-made bulk-power equipment and related software, with potential knock-on effects for transformers, substations, batteries and generators—while exempting local distribution. Data Center Transparency: New Jersey signed a law requiring twice-yearly reporting of data centers’ electricity and water use, including cooling, peak water, and backup power; the move comes as local bans and community fights intensify. AI Power Deals in Georgia: Georgia Power’s contract to supply OpenAI’s Effingham County data center cleared state approval, advancing a 3,200 MW commitment and the county’s next site-plan steps. Grid Reliability Under Strain: Michigan regulators are probing Consumers Energy after July 3 storms far exceeded forecasts, while Nevada restored power after the Hawk Fire (with gas work continuing). Energy Access & Resilience: Hawaiʻi Electric restored power to Kaʻū Hospital and Pāhala after Hurricane Lala, but about 1,430 customers still lack service. Renewables vs Contracts: Pakistan’s parliamentarians urged avoiding long-term LNG take-or-pay deals as solar growth reshapes demand and the evening peak becomes the real system stress test. Clean Tech & Industry: Nigeria plans to revive 21 idle dams for power via small-scale hydro policy; Lagos’ Elektron is nearing completion on a 40 MW embedded plant to cut diesel reliance. Wave Power Update: Oregon’s PacWave South got federal approval to test wave tech, but no devices have arrived yet due to funding delays.

US Grid Security: Trump signed an executive order declaring a national emergency over foreign threats tied to bulk-power system equipment, restricting purchases/installs of certain foreign-made grid hardware and related software unless risk conditions are met, following FCC inverter rules. Military Power Resilience: The US Army will spend up to $2.2bn on nuclear microreactors at five bases (Fort Bragg, Fort Campbell, Fort Hood, Fort Benning, Fort Drum) aiming for first operation by Sept 2028. AI + Power Demand Crunch: Kimmeridge warns up to half of planned US data centers face delay or cancellation as grid congestion, transformer lead times, and local opposition collide with AI buildout timelines. Renewables Momentum (US): EIA data shows renewable generation up nearly 11% in H1 2026, with renewables now exceeding 30% of total US electricity. UK Household Shift: Plug-in solar panels are now legally sold in the UK via socket-connected systems, with major retailers set to stock them. India Assured Power Buildout: ACME Solar secured INR 1,571 crore from IIFCL for a 300 MW assured-peak project in Rajasthan with 25-year PPA and integrated BESS. Africa Generation Push: Ghana plans a 1,200 MW state-owned gas plant to support industrialisation and improve reliability. Middle East Outlook: Rystad forecasts MENA capacity quadrupling to 2,328 GW by 2050 and demand more than doubling, with data centers and solar scaling driving the change.

AI Data Centres & Power Rules: Australia’s National Cabinet backed a “flexible” approach after Queensland and the Northern Territory pushed back on a renewables-only standard for new AI data centres, keeping coal and gas options alive in practice. Grid Security & Foreign Equipment: US President Trump declared a national emergency over cybersecurity risks in foreign-made bulk-power equipment, restricting certain transformers, generators, inverters and related software. Large-Load Cost Shifts: Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer signed bills forcing big energy users like data centres to pay for grid upgrades and secure their own power, aiming to stop residential and small-business subsidies. US Nuclear for Remote Power: The US Army will spend $2.2B under the Janus program to deploy factory-built microreactors at five bases, targeting at least one reactor by Sept 2028. Renewables Buildout in the Philippines: A 200MW wind project in Northern Samar is nearing construction, with grid integration targeted for 2028. Energy Affordability Push: California advanced “balcony solar” access via SB 868, while heat-driven bill pressure is pushing cooling out of reach for millions. Transmission & Local Impact: SDG&E’s proposed 500kV Powerlink line faces community concerns as California demand rises from EVs and data centres. Utility Financials: New Zealand’s Genesis Energy profit halved to $85M as wholesale prices fell.