AGP Executive Report

Hurricane Lala Recovery: Hawaii’s grid is still reeling after the storm, with Hawaiian Electric reporting about 117,000 customers without power Monday as crews focus on major transmission damage and bring in mainland utility help. Visayas Grid Strain: In the Philippines, the Visayas grid stayed on red alert for another day, with NGCP citing forced outages and limited transfers; the DOE is also weighing a three-strike blacklist for erring generation firms. Nuclear Financing Push: Korea Eximbank is lining up tailored loans and guarantees with Bill Gates-backed TerraPower to speed SMR commercialization and global expansion. Clean Power for Industry: Australia is committing AU$2.5B to secure renewable power for the Tomago aluminium smelter, aiming to shift the site to renewables and demand-response services. Data Center Power Race: SoCal Edison warns public safety shutoffs could hit more often and last longer, while LS Electric and Bloom Energy signed a $34M deal for hyperscale data center distribution gear. Renewables Earnings: Philippines’ Citicore Renewable Energy surged 92% in H1 profit as more plants came online, targeting 5 GW by 2028. Solar Waste Rules: China is accelerating recycling requirements for wind, solar and EV batteries to be ready by 2030.

Grid Resilience & Outages: The Visayas grid in the Philippines stayed under tight operating reserves, with NGCP keeping red and yellow alerts active as unplanned outages left insufficient margin—renewed pressure for more generation, transmission, and battery storage. Nuclear Policy & Risk: India’s Supreme Court asked the Centre to clarify whether the SHANTI Act’s liability cap limits courts from awarding fair compensation to nuclear accident victims, while also probing how regulators are appointed. Nuclear Buildout & Water Stress: Slovakia’s PM Robert Fico visited Jaslovské Bohunice to discuss drought resilience and the slow pace of preparing a new unit, highlighting how cooling and river conditions shape nuclear output planning. Transmission & Renewables: Germany marked a symbolic breakthrough on the SuedLink underground tunnel under the Elbe, a key step in moving wind power south as the full 700-km project targets completion by 2028. Solar Scale & Finance: Econergy secured major debt financing for Romania’s Părău 2, pairing 342MW solar with 150MW/300MWh storage under a CfD structure. Data Centers & Power Demand: Arizona’s solar export rate was cut again, and local groups criticized the transparency of TEP’s 15-year planning as data centers reshape load growth. Local Power Infrastructure: Pasadena Water and Power begins undergrounding on Hammond Street for about three weeks as part of a broader multiyear utility relocation program. Industrial Power Shock: Canada’s Algoma Steel paused electric arc furnace operations after an unplanned outage at its Lake Superior Power plant, with a restart hoped within weeks.

Storm Recovery: Hurricane Lala weakened to a tropical storm but kept battering Hawaii with flash flooding, damaging winds, and widespread outages; Reuters reports 183,123 HECO customers without power as of Sunday afternoon, with at least 100 homes damaged and officials warning repairs are slowed by downed trees and flooded roads. Grid Resilience & Outage Impacts: In the Midwest, severe thunderstorms left thousands in the dark—Springfield, Illinois (7,330 customers) and Boonville, Missouri (641 customers)—as crews assess downed lines and restore service. Nuclear Policy (India): India’s SHANTI Act draft rules spell out licensing and liability requirements for nuclear operators, including insurance/financial security for nuclear damage and decommissioning, plus limits on supplier liability. Nuclear Build-Out (US): NuScale’s CEO says a potential TVA-linked SMR program could reach 6–8 GW, with ENTRA1 financing and owning multiple plants while TVA buys the power. Solar & Permitting: New Zealand moves to simplify residential and small-scale solar approvals, aiming to cut approval time and cost; in the UK, a Darlington-area solar farm proposal targets power for up to 16,400 homes. Power Equipment Innovation: HD Hyundai Electric says it has developed Korea’s first eco-friendly 420kV SF6-free circuit breaker, designed to cut greenhouse impact while meeting grid demands.

Hurricane Response: Hurricane Lala battered Hawaii’s Big Island with heavy rain and damaging winds, leaving 88,000+ customers without power as crews assess flooded roads, downed trees, and damaged transmission lines; Hawaiian Electric warned outages could last overnight. Grid Reliability: The Visayas grid in the Philippines is aiming to return to normal supply status by Sept. 11 after 73 days of yellow/red alerts driven by generator outages and reduced output, forcing tight reserve margins. Nuclear Watch: Saint Lucie Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 was manually shut down after three control rods dropped into the reactor core; the NRC classified it as non-emergency and Unit 2 was unaffected. Offshore Wind Policy: Louisiana’s offshore wind prospects dimmed after RWE agreed to relinquish Gulf leases under the Trump administration, citing “no path forward.” Home Energy & Solar: Plug-in “balcony solar” is gaining traction as a lower-cost entry to rooftop power, while Illinois is expanding community solar on storage-unit roofs. Battery Storage Growth: Global battery storage capacity surged to 301.7 GW in 2025, up nearly 66% year over year, as solar scales.

Storm Response: Hurricane/Tropical Storm Lala is battering Hawaiʻi, with Hawaiian Electric reporting about 18,700 customers without power on Hawaiʻi Island and ~5,180 on Maui as of late morning, driven mainly by downed trees and debris hitting lines; crews are assessing a 42-mile stretch of transmission damage on the Hamakua coast and warn some outages could last overnight. Grid Reliability & Policy: A Pennsylvania Senate hearing focused on how to prevent future electric bill spikes, with lawmakers arguing for more reliable baseload generation and warning that retirements plus rising demand can strain prices and reliability. Nuclear Cooling Stress: Europe’s nuclear fleet is facing new cooling challenges as a jellyfish swarm forced EDF to shut three units and cut output at a fourth at Gravelines, adding to heat-and-water constraints. Energy Storage Push: Ola Electric unveiled three battery energy storage systems—Ola Shakti Gen 2 plus utility-scale Shakti Rack and Mahashakti—aimed at expanding its energy solutions business beyond EVs. Solar Tech Advance: A China-led team reported industrial-scale perovskite results, including a 1MW field test where perovskite outperformed adjacent silicon over three months. Home Power Options: Consumer Reports highlights that home wind can materially cut bills, but installation costs and permitting make it a bigger lift than rooftop solar for most households.

Grid Reliability & Storms: Indiana’s flooding and severe weather left more than 160,000 homes and businesses without power, with more heavy rain forecast across the Midwest. Nuclear Cooling Under Climate Pressure: Hungary has begun sinking two Danube barges near Paks to keep cooling water flowing as record-low river levels threaten turbine shutdowns. Nuclear Regulation: India’s SHANTI Act draft rules require nuclear operators to maintain insurance or other financial security until spent fuel is removed from storage pools, and outline expert reviews of liability limits. Energy Policy & Private Power: Nebraska lawmakers advanced LB1261, limiting when consumer-owned utilities can use eminent domain against certain privately owned electric generation facilities. Wildfire Risk Management: Eugene’s utility says wildfire-safety settings will keep lines de-energized when touched, but that may mean more frequent and longer outages in south and southwest hills. Renewables & Storage: Illinois is pushing community and rooftop solar with battery-backed models, while a new Illinois solar-plus-storage facility targets large-scale home backup. Community Impact: In the Philippines, rotational brownouts are spilling into Metro Cebu’s water system, forcing pumping stations offline and leaving residents with low pressure or dry taps. Solar Waste Outlook: A study warns discarded solar panels could reach up to 402 million tonnes by 2060 unless recycling scales up. Nuclear Operations Disruption: France’s Gravelines nuclear plant reduced output after a jellyfish swarm clogged cooling-water systems.

Storm Readiness (Hawaii): Hawaiian Electric warned Tropical Storm Lala could trigger outages lasting days, citing wind and heavy rain risks to power lines and trees; the utility says 500+ workers are staged and restoration starts only when it’s safe. Mutual Aid (Mid-Atlantic): Delmarva Power sent 27 employees to Illinois to help restore service after severe storms left 257,000 customers without power, working alongside other Exelon utilities. Wildfire Power Restoration (Canada): BC Hydro reported progress restoring wildfire-impacted areas in the Southern Interior, with about 2,700 customers back on in Bradley Creek and hundreds still dark near Summerland. Grid Strain From AI (Global): Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said AI data centers will face strict power limits, while forecasts point to rapidly rising electricity demand for compute. Nuclear Cooling Vulnerability (Europe): Drought and record-low Danube levels are forcing Romania and Hungary to confront nuclear shutdown and cooling challenges, highlighting water-linked reliability risks. Solar Build-Out (U.S./India): Olmsted County completed four solar arrays for public buildings, while India’s Oswal Pumps plans in-house solar inverter production within six months. Grid Reliability & Outages (U.S./Canada): Duke Energy crews are still restoring Cincinnati after major storms, and BC Hydro traced Vancouver’s outage to a lightning fault at a substation affecting about 11,000 customers.

Nuclear Under Climate Pressure: Romania shut down its only working Cernavodă reactor after record-low Danube levels cut cooling water, with restart not expected for at least 10 days; Hungary is now sinking two barges near Paks to lift river levels while a longer-term riverbed “sill” is built. Nuclear Policy Pivot: Spain extended the Almaraz plant’s operation to 2030, delaying its planned nuclear phase-out to reduce exposure to global gas-driven price spikes. Grid Strain From Heat and Load: Ember reports European heatwaves boosted solar output by up to 17% while demand surged, helping stabilize grids even as stress rises. Data Centers Keep Pushing Demand: Southern Co says contracted large-load pipeline jumped to 17GW and data-center power usage is up 55% year over year. Storage Momentum: The U.S. installed a record 57.6 GWh of new grid batteries in 2025, the biggest single-year total. Solar at the Edge: New Hampshire’s “balcony solar” law is set for 2027, but experts warn it’s not truly plug-and-play. EV Charging Upgrades: JD Power finds DC fast-charger satisfaction improving and failed charging attempts falling to the lowest level in its study.

Grid Reliability Under Pressure: Romania shut down its last nuclear reactor at Cernavoda after record-low Danube levels cut cooling water, removing about a fifth of national output and raising risks for Moldova as it scrambles for replacement power. Storms and Outages: Severe weather knocked out power across the US Midwest and Northeast, including NIPSCO’s “largest outage event” and thousands without power in Maine after thunderstorms hit the Portland Jetport. Demand Growth and Grid Strain: The US is forecast to hit new electricity demand highs driven by data centers and AI, but upgrades are lagging—raising blackout concerns. Policy and Regulation: Nebraska advanced LB1010 to expand rules for energy storage and allow eminent domain for storage-related needs, while LB1261 proposals would limit eminent domain for certain private generation. Nuclear Expansion Watch: South Korea is packaging nuclear export support with safety regulation cooperation, and Louisiana regulators are set to consider a “nuclear tariff” fee to fund early-stage SMR work. Clean Tech and Storage: A Chinese team unveiled plans for a geostationary solar space station, while a Kansas printer installed a solar-plus-battery system to cut demand charges. Local Energy Incentives: Pasadena moved forward with solar and battery rebates, and a Philippines grid operator put Mindanao on yellow alert due to thin reserves.

Nuclear Cooling Crisis (Romania): Romania has begun a controlled shutdown of Unit 2 at the Cernavoda nuclear plant after record-low Danube River levels cut cooling water availability, following last month’s shutdown of the other reactor; the country expects to rely on imports and other generation sources while operators monitor when restart is possible. Grid Reliability (Philippines): The NGCP placed Mindanao under a yellow alert due to thin operating reserves, warning that any additional generation loss could trigger rotational brownouts and urging conservation during peak hours. Transmission & Interconnection (Armenia/US-EU): Armenia will secure a €120 million KfW loan for the Caucasus Power Transmission Network linking Armenia and Georgia; meanwhile, US lawmakers are pushing the Trump administration to prioritize a Great Sea Interconnector cable to connect Cyprus to Europe’s grid via Greece and Crete. Solar Growth (UK/US): UK households are earning nearly £100m from exporting spare solar power, while Texas data-center operators are agreeing to new state standards tied to grid and water impacts. Renewables Buildout (Europe/Asia): Germany’s LEAG and Fluence started deploying a new GridBattery project, and China Three Gorges said its flexible DC offshore wind link has surpassed 10 billion kWh delivered to the grid. Storm Impacts (US): Severe weather in the US Midwest knocked out power for hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses, with Indiana hit hardest.

Renewables Buildout (Philippines): ACEN is injecting up to P1 billion into a unit to develop the Quezon North Wind Power Project, with Phase 1 targeting 344.5 MW by late 2026 and Phase 2 adding 208 MW by end-2027/early-2028. Grid Reliability (Storm Response, US): Salisbury, N.C. crews are using generators and traffic-light backups after Tuesday outages, while Delmarva Power is sending 27 workers to Illinois after severe storms left about 257,000 customers without power. Solar Expansion (US): Lima, Ohio switched on a 4-acre floating solar array with 3,120 panels to supply its water treatment plant. Market Signals (Arizona): Arizona regulators cut the solar export rate by 10% to 5.5 cents/kWh, a move critics say undervalues rooftop solar just as demand rises. Home Storage (Japan): Tesla’s Powerwall 3 is now available in Japan, offering higher output and backup capability with incentives. Nuclear Push (India): India reaffirmed its nuclear roadmap aiming for 100 GWe by 2047 and SMRs at brownfield sites, including thorium and indigenous tech. Offshore Wind & Storage (Canada): Northland Power reported strong Q2 operations and progress on offshore wind and new BESS construction. Policy/Permitting (Nebraska): LB1261 eminent-domain limits for private electric generation continue to draw votes across the legislature. Equipment Standards (Canada): LS Electric secured CSA-accredited testing lab status to speed certification for North American power equipment.

Nuclear Water Stress: Hungary is rushing river interventions to keep the Danube-fed Paks plant running, including a new weir and standby barges to prop up cooling-water levels as drought hits. Grid Reliability for Solar Eclipse: Britain’s grid operator issued and then canceled a tight-margin electricity call tied to the Aug. 12 eclipse, as solar output is expected to plunge while demand stays high. Nuclear Disruption in France: EDF says heat, drought, and a jellyfish swarm have driven a record 20%+ nuclear capacity shortfall, with multiple reactors at Gravelines shut or throttled. Renewables Under Scrutiny: Greece launched a nationwide wind-farm investigation after a wildfire spread, focusing on whether power-line sparks or site issues played a role. Wind Asset Life Extension: ACEN completed upgrades to its NorthWind project in the Philippines, targeting extra generation over the next decade and extending the life of a 2005-era wind farm. Solar-Plus-Storage Expansion: Scatec brought Egypt’s Obelisk solar-plus-storage project online, adding major capacity and batteries to boost grid stability. Policy & Bills: Maine regulators ordered Iberdrola-linked CMP to turn over internal records in a rate case, while the Philippines weighs VAT relief on electricity system-loss charges. Severe Weather: Storms across the US Midwest left hundreds of thousands without power and caused deaths and widespread infrastructure damage.

AI + power demand: Germany’s Uniper says it will turn power-plant sites into AI data-centre locations, citing grid-connection advantages and targeting €500M–€600M adjusted profit. Grid reliability under stress: Severe storms and tornadoes across the Midwest and Chicago area left more than 991,000 customers without power, with reports of downed lines and major damage. Nuclear cooling hit by nature: EDF shut three reactors at Gravelines after a jellyfish influx, cutting supply during extreme heat. Renewables policy + permitting: Greece ordered a nationwide probe into wind-farm wildfire links and permit/standards compliance; South Korea capped solar/wind setback distances to speed renewables. Solar buildout + storage: Ember reports India’s solar growth cut midday coal generation by 10 GW, but evening demand is pushing coal back—highlighting the storage gap. Data centers meet pushback: A survey finds most Americans oppose AI data centers near home, citing bills, noise, water strain, and grid reliability. Local power restoration: Crews in Saipan continued feeder and transformer work as customers are warned to switch off mains during energization. Eminent domain fight: Nebraska’s LB1261 limits consumer-owned utilities’ eminent domain over certain private generation, including many renewables.

Grid Rates & Reliability (Philippines): An ICSC report says eight Eastern Visayas utilities/co-ops landed among the 20 highest residential electricity rates in the country in July, with generation charges driving 57% of bills. Policy & Cost Relief (Philippines): The ERC is moving to strip VAT from system loss charges by treating them as government-mandated pass-through costs, while warning against eliminating the charges outright. Battery Storage Buildout (US): NineDot will break ground on a 4.9MW battery energy storage site in Bushwick, targeting grid strain relief and fewer summer blackouts. EV Charging Pressure (US): A new fight is emerging over when EVs charge, as reserve margins shrink and utilities face rising peak-load needs. Data Centers & Power (US): Behind-the-meter generation is gaining attention as data centers run into grid connection delays, pushing interest in on-site power. BESS Zoning (New York): A Westchester court ruling says certain battery storage projects should be treated under public utility standards when variances are needed. Nuclear Cooling Disruptions (France/Romania): Jellyfish forced EDF to shut three reactors at Gravelines and cut output at a fourth; Romania’s Cernavoda plant faces shutdown risk as Danube levels hit critical lows. Solar Push (Bangladesh): Government offices are being told to maximize solar use, starting immediately for key ministries and agencies. Solar Eclipse Demand Response (UK): Octopus Energy is urging households to cut electricity use during the eclipse window to avoid stressing the grid.

Nuclear Revival Talks: The Philippines’ DOE says it will steer future generation siting by coordinating with NGCP and requiring Green Energy Auction bidders to consider transmission readiness—while AboitizPower signs an MoU with South Korea’s KHNP to explore nuclear deployment. Nuclear in the U.S.: Indiana Michigan Power weighs a natural gas replacement at Rockport but is also pursuing federal support for small modular reactors; in Alabama, Rep. Dale Strong pushes TVA to revive Bellefonte for SMRs. Grid Costs Hit Households: Seattle City Light projects steep rate increases through 2032, and Virginia moves to make data centers pay for dedicated transmission lines. Solar Buildout Moves Fast: Waaree Renewable wins a 124 MWp solar order; New Zealand’s Christchurch eyes floating solar over wastewater ponds; and Gisborne schools get solar under a $30m scheme. Storms and Reliability: Severe weather knocks out power across parts of the U.S., including Kenton, Ohio and Virginia’s region. Cross-Border Power: Singapore approves 900 MW of imports from Malaysia, adding to its low-carbon import push. Solar Market Pressure: Energy crisis conditions drive solar panel imports above $400m in Africa in Q1.

Renewables M&A (India): Purvah Green Power (CESC/RP-Sanjiv Goenka) will buy a 1.4 GWp operating solar portfolio from Renew Solar Power for INR 4,859 crore, with 90%+ contracted under long-term SECI PPAs—shifting Purvah toward cash-generating assets. Grid Planning (Philippines): A lawmaker urged DOE to stop generation firms from siting plants “anywhere,” saying technical losses can be cut by locating near transmission and load; DOE says it already coordinates via NGCP’s Transmission Development Plan and will require bidders to consider transmission readiness. Solar Buildout (PNG): Hela’s Yangome 3 MW solar project (with existing gas turbines at Hides) is set for commissioning Sept. 16, aiming to end years of darkness for local communities. UK Grid Flexibility (Solar eclipse): Octopus Energy is asking households to avoid running washing machines and dishwashers 6pm–8pm Wednesday as solar output drops, offering free electricity next weekend; Europe-wide forecasts flag up to ~9.7 GW solar reduction during the eclipse. Wind Curtailment Cost (UK): Britain has already spent about £1.02billion this year paying to switch off wind and run gas instead, with Neso projecting constraint costs could reach £3.2billion next year. Transmission & Reliability (Europe): ENTSO-E and operators are preparing for the eclipse-driven solar dip, updating forecasts and avoiding planned outages to keep balancing resources available. Solar & Storage Growth (India): Juniper Green Energy won 230 MW in SECI’s e-Reverse Auction for round-the-clock renewables at INR 5.26/kWh, using solar+wind plus BESS under a 25-year PPA. Heat & Wildfire Risk (Spain/Europe): Spain’s wildfire season worsened as hot, windy weather fueled blazes, while Europe braces for another heat wave that could strain rivers and power production.