AGP Executive Report

Grid Reliability & Outages: Jasper, Texas is still set for a midnight Saturday outage while Entergy repairs a 138-kV substation, aiming to restore power by Sunday morning. In Canada, BC Hydro restored power to the Village of Clinton after the Pear Lake wildfire, but warned other areas remain dark as it rebuilds hundreds of damaged poles. Wildfire Impacts: BC Hydro also expects extended outages after the Bradley Creek wildfire, citing hot, dry conditions and ongoing damage assessments. Tariffs & Power Bills: Pakistan’s regulator Nepra approved a Re0.75 per unit fuel charge adjustment, targeting an extra Rs9.8bn from consumers, while regulators also flagged transmission-constraint issues and partial loading charges. Solar + Storage Buildouts: Citicore began work on Pampanga’s first “embedded” solar-plus-storage project (41 MWp with 53 MWh) tied to Pelco I, targeting completion by 2027; Syria also signed deals for 760 MW solar paired with 1,077 MWh batteries. Policy & Planning: Maryland regulators finally approved a delayed transmission upgrade needed to retire the state’s last coal plant, while Wisconsin regulators forced a data-center power line filing redo after major revisions. Offshore Wind Backlash: RWE agreed to relinquish U.S. offshore wind leases in a $1.22bn settlement, saying there’s no near-term path to permits. Nuclear Cooling Stress: Hungary switched off decorative lights in Budapest as Danube drought forced Paks to cut output, underscoring how water constraints can hit nuclear reliability.

Grid Policy Fight (Philippines): President Marcos Jr. wants amendments to EPIRA to stop distribution utilities and electric cooperatives from passing “system loss” charges (and VAT) to consumers, while MAP urges ERC/DOE to tighten system-loss caps using technical analysis to protect competitiveness. Distributed Solar (India): Maharashtra’s ERC cleared MSEDCL to proceed with competitive bidding for 2,269 MW of feeder-level solar under MSKVY 2.0, with tariffs set between INR 2.24–2.90/kWh. Solar Supply Chain (India): SLR Solar won ALMM List-I approval for 1,020 MW of bifacial N-type TOPCon G12R module manufacturing, with plans to expand into cells and BESS. Offshore Wind Retreat (US): RWE U.S. Offshore reached a $1.22B settlement with the Interior Department to relinquish offshore wind leases in New York, California and Louisiana, bringing total buyouts near $4B. Wildfire Liability (California): A probe into the 2025 Eaton Fire points to an electrical arc from an out-of-service SCE transmission tower, as lawmakers debate who should pay when utility lines ignite wildfires. Nuclear Cooling Stress (Hungary): Danube low water and heat forced Paks down to ~10% output; rains are expected to ease limits temporarily. Cross-Border Power (Singapore): EMA granted conditional approvals to import 900 MW from Malaysia (solar + storage) for operations around 2029. EV + Storage (Kenya): Spiro Kenya opened a Nairobi mega battery-swap station able to charge 200+ batteries 24/7 to cut downtime for electric motorcycle riders. Advanced Nuclear (US): Oklo says its Groves isotope test reactor hit first criticality, adding momentum to the advanced nuclear push tied to future isotope supply.

Offshore Wind Backlash: RWE agreed to surrender U.S. offshore wind leases in New York, Louisiana and Northern California in a $1.22B deal with the Trump administration, adding to a fast-growing federal buyback tally and leaving California with fewer active leaseholders. Grid Reliability Under Heat & Drought: Record-low Danube water levels are forcing nuclear cutbacks and emergency power-saving in Hungary and raising import pressure in Romania, with officials warning of potential power curbs if cooling water stays scarce. Nuclear Policy & Nonproliferation: A U.S. judge tossed a nuclear power wage-fixing case for now, while a separate commentary flags concerns about a U.S.-Saudi nuclear cooperation push and enrichment-related risks. Data Centers vs. Power Costs: Regulators are moving to decide who pays for grid upgrades tied to AI data centers, including Virginia’s push for a cost-assignment process for substations serving data hubs. Solar Momentum: Delhi’s power minister outlined rooftop solar acceleration plus large battery storage and DISCOM accountability steps, while Australia expanded commercial solar rebates to cut upfront costs by up to 20% starting Oct. 1. Local Power Planning: NGCP says the Visayas is facing tighter reserves driven largely by unplanned plant outages, and Oregon Trail Electric members elected two new board members amid ongoing labor tensions.

Grid Reliability & Outages: Missouri is still leading the U.S. in outages, with about 12,000 customers affected Thursday morning (down from roughly 21,000 earlier), as crews work incidents across Columbia, Boone County, and Jefferson County. AI Power Demand & Priorities: A new look at strained grids during extreme heat argues the real question is who gets power when supply tightens—especially as data centers and other critical loads compete with households. Utility-Scale Renewables + Storage: We Energies has started three Wisconsin projects—150MW solar with 50MWh storage, a 110MW wind farm, and 75MW storage—aimed partly at supplying Vantage’s Port Washington AI data center campus. Solar Policy & Permitting: The Philippines’ DOE streamlined rules for self-consumption rooftop solar, cutting utility pre-clearances and fees for zero-export and micro-solar systems. India Solar Push: Tamil Nadu’s revised budget proposes a rooftop solar subsidy up to INR 1 lakh, plus a BESS promotion policy and major grid investments. Nuclear Developments: Deep Fission won DOE approval for its Gravity™ reactor safety design agreement, while China reports private investors taking record stakes in new nuclear builds. Tech for Power Hardware: Power Integrations demonstrated 2200V GaN for higher-voltage EV and grid power conversion, and Callan Power announced plans to manufacture transformers and other grid equipment in Alabama.

Policy & Permitting: The Philippines DOE ordered utilities to drop preapproval steps for small solar, speeding installs for self-generating systems, microsolar and zero-export setups, while still requiring safety protocols like anti-islanding for microsolar. Grid & Reliability: Virginia regulators ordered data centers to pay for dedicated transmission upgrades tied to their exclusive use, aiming to protect ratepayers as demand surges. Renewables Buildout: China’s “Haiyou Anlan” floating wind TLP began operations, feeding power to an offshore oilfield via a subsea cable and pairing wind with storage and conventional generation to manage volatility. Storage Momentum: Tesla Megapacks are now supporting Ørsted’s 250 MW/500 MWh “Old 300” battery project in Texas, delivering two-hour output to help stabilize ERCOT. Nuclear Watch: Oklahoma is among finalists for a DOE Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus, with new documents outlining a full fuel-cycle and workforce hub concept. Safety & Fire Risk: Madison, Mississippi fire officials warned residents about house fires linked to power strips and urged safer use and UL-listed products. Offshore Wind Impact: A Virginia seafood-industry survey is underway to quantify how offshore wind could affect coastal businesses. Distributed Solar Growth: Pakistan’s distributed solar boom is driving rapid battery storage interest, with 2025 BESS imports up sharply.

Grid Storage & Renewables (India): Ola Electric and Axis Energy signed an MoU to evaluate deploying up to 20 GWh of battery energy storage by 2032, aimed at firming renewables and improving grid reliability as India’s storage needs scale fast. Solar Policy (India): MNRE issued a detailed clarification on how ALMM List-II applies across competitive bidding, rooftop, net metering, open access, behind-the-meter, and DCR-based projects—key for developers planning module sourcing. Rooftop Solar Push (India): PM Surya Ghar hit 50 lakh+ rooftop solar homes, adding 14.8 GW so far, with subsidies and loans accelerating installations. Wind Buildout (India): GE Vernova will supply and install 43 locally manufactured 3.8 MW turbines for Enfinity Global’s Fatehgarh wind farm in Rajasthan, with deliveries starting Q4 2026. Grid Reliability & Heat (Europe): A heatwave and drought are forcing power cuts in Hungary and complicating nuclear cooling as Danube flows hit record lows; Albania also battles wildfires. Solar-Plus-Storage (UK): Push Power won planning approval for a 16.5 MW / 22.5 MWh solar-plus-storage project in Essex. Nuclear & Solar Storm Forecasting (US/Space): NASA’s PUNCH mission improved solar storm arrival predictions, helping forecast timing more accurately—relevant for protecting power grids from space weather. Distributed Storage (US): Base Power launched its Base Core residential battery (39.2 or 78.4 kWh) and closed a $1B Series D to expand production.

Offshore Wind (Denmark): Denmark’s Energy Agency awarded two new offshore wind contracts to Vattenfall after a revised tender approach using Contracts for Difference, following a prior 2024 round that drew no bids. Grid Reliability (Cuba): Cuba’s National Electric System was restored after staged reconnection following another nationwide blackout, with the UNE citing weather-linked damage during restoration. Power Billing (India): Maharashtra approved prepaid “composite billing” for state government and BMC offices served by BEST, moving connections to prepaid mode from April 1, 2026. Wildfire Outages (US): Avista reported steady progress restoring power to wildfire-impacted Spokane-area customers, with fewer customers still out than the day before. Tariffs & Storage (Pakistan): Pakistan’s power minister said the IMF is blocking a proposed time-based tariff that would make daytime electricity cheaper, despite talks aimed at improving efficiency and supporting storage. Solar + Data Centers (US): Alabama’s PSC approved a 200-MW solar plus 200-MW battery project tied to Meta’s long-term power needs. Home Solar Finance (US): Florida homeowners say door-to-door solar sales left them with long-term debt and malfunctioning systems, prompting renewed scrutiny of licensing and disclosures. AI Demand & Grid Access (Texas): Texas Gov. Abbott ordered audits of data center interconnection queue applicants, warning noncompliant projects could be denied grid access. Nuclear (Research): A German team reported the first direct measurement of antineutrinos from spent nuclear fuel after shutdown, pointing to new ways to monitor reactors and fuel.

Grid Policy: The Philippines’ Visayan Electric says it’s too early to gauge how President Marcos Jr.’s push to remove system loss charges from bills will affect distributors, since Congress hasn’t amended EPIRA yet. AI Power Demand: South Korea unveiled a plan to cut industrial electricity rates via a four-tier system tied to transmission costs, aiming to power AI and advanced industry growth with more renewables, storage, and grid upgrades. Renewables Scale-Up: India’s PM Surya Ghar rooftop solar program hit 50.06 lakh installations (14.8 GW), with July adding 5.06 lakh systems—plus Australia is expanding its “missing middle” solar rebates from 100 kW to 1 MW for warehouses, factories, and schools. Solar Market Moves: Google signed a 155 MW Oklahoma solar PPA with RWE for 15 years, while Clearway canceled a Nevada data center plus gas plant plan, refocusing on solar and storage. Nuclear & Water Stress: Ukraine restored external power to Zaporizhia NPP after about an hour on diesel backup; Hungary narrowly avoided a full shutdown at Paks as Danube levels rose. Grid Reliability & Outages: Romania’s heatwave and drought are forcing major industrial consumers to cut or pause output to ease evening grid deficits. EV Charging: Pilot, GM, and EVgo’s fast-charging network passed 300 sites and 1,300 stalls across 40 states.

Grid Reliability: Cuba’s national power system collapsed again Monday, with state media citing an “oscillation” during restoration after Sunday’s nationwide blackout—its sixth total grid failure of 2026—amid fuel shortages and aging infrastructure strained by the US oil blockade. Nuclear & Water Stress: Europe’s Danube drought is forcing emergency thinking: Romania used explosives to redirect cooling water to the Cernavodă nuclear plant, while Hungary’s only nuclear station at Paks has been pushed toward shutdown risk as river levels hit record lows. US Grid & Data Centers: Texas Gov. Abbott ordered regulators to halt new data-center grid connections pending audits, as ERCOT faces a surge in connection requests dominated by data centers. Transmission & Renewables: India’s POWERGRID got a boost as PM Modi dedicated two transmission projects and laid groundwork for another in Andhra Pradesh to move more wind/solar power into the national grid. Wildfire Restoration: In Washington, Avista said it’s making progress restoring service after Spokane-area wildfires, while also stressing its facilities didn’t start the fires. Offshore Wind: Dominion extended the completion target for Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind to end-2027, citing schedule and budget updates. Renewables Deal: Shell agreed to sell its European wind and solar business to TotalEnergies in another retreat from renewables.

Grid Resilience Under Heat & Drought: Hungary’s Paks nuclear plant is teetering as record-low Danube levels cut cooling water, with Prime Minister Péter Magyar saying the plant may limp on at reduced output for “the most crucial five days,” while Romania used a controlled blast to redirect Danube water toward its Cernavoda reactor. Solar Push for Crisis Relief: Bangladesh’s PM Tarique Rahman issued directives to install rooftop solar on major government buildings, support local inverter production, and make solar more affordable—aiming to ease an ongoing energy crisis. Philippines Renewable Buildout: The Tantangan Solar Power Project in South Cotabato has started operating ahead of schedule, producing 74.5 MWp and set to reach 99 MWp by October, as the DOE targets 6+ GW of new capacity before the end of the Marcos Jr. administration. Clean Power Market Moves: TotalEnergies agreed to buy Shell’s European onshore renewables business and sell a 50% stake in a 1.2 GW solar-wind portfolio to KKR in a €1.8 billion deal. Grid Tech Upgrade: Schneider Electric and BRPL deployed India’s first SF6-free 12kV indoor ring main unit pilot with SCADA integration, cutting emissions tied to capex. Offshore Wind Rights: Cierco secured seabed rights for the Llyr Celtic Sea wind projects, unlocking two 100 MW test and demonstration sites off Wales.

Grid Reliability & Cost Relief (Philippines): The ERC ordered Meralco to refund about ₱9.5B to customers and also approved another ₱8.709B in underrecovered pass-through costs, including ₱595M tied to system losses—meaning bills may shift even as refunds roll out. Policy Push for Distributed Energy (Philippines): A new House bill would reduce regulatory friction for “behind-the-meter” rooftop solar and battery storage by treating end-user systems differently from commercial generation, aiming to speed adoption while keeping safety rules. Distributed Renewables Framework (Bangladesh): Experts say Bangladesh’s solar push needs a predictable policy setup, dedicated financing, and storage “from day 0,” after earlier off-grid programs left many stranded systems. Solar Scale-Up (India): India’s solar capacity has surged to 162.15 GW (50-fold since 2014), with record additions in 2025 and a new floating-solar plan that pairs projects with storage. Nuclear Cooling Crisis (Europe): Hungary’s Paks plant faces a potential first full shutdown in 44 years as Danube levels drop, with emergency consumption limits on the table; Romania’s Cernavodă also faces cooling-water pressure. Wildfire & Nuclear Safety (UK): Fire crews near Sizewell B report the blaze is stabilizing, with power restored to most affected homes. EV Batteries & Charging (China/SE Asia/Australia): China’s automakers are widening battery supplier pools to manage costs and supply risk; Southeast Asia’s EV growth still hinges on incentives and infrastructure; Australia’s subsidized home batteries hit 487,000 installs, surpassing U.S. residential totals. Geopolitics & Energy Risk (Iran/Strait of Hormuz): Trump says a planned Iran strike was paused to support a deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and address Iran’s nuclear threat.

Grid Relief (Philippines): Manila Electric (Meralco) must refund ₱9.51 billion to customers after regulators found over-recovered charges, with the rebate spread over six months and shown as a separate line item on bills. Drought Stress Test (Europe): Hungary is preparing for the first full shutdown in 44 years at the Paks nuclear plant as record-low Danube levels cut cooling water, triggering emergency conservation and possible weeks of disruption. Renewables Buildout (India): India approved the PM Surya Sarovar Yojana to scale floating solar with co-located storage, targeting 5,000 MW of floating solar and 10,000 MWh of batteries. Solar + Storage Policy (Philippines): A new “Sariling Kuryente” bill would loosen barriers for rooftop solar and battery systems used for personal consumption, aiming to treat them differently from commercial power producers. Grid Instability (Cuba): Power returned to western Cuba after a partial grid collapse left five provinces without electricity overnight, with fuel shortages making outages more likely. Wildfire + Power Risk (US): Wind-driven wildfires in Washington forced evacuations and left tens of thousands without power as officials declared a statewide emergency. Clean Power Breakthrough (US): Oregon’s Newberry geothermal project connected two deep wells through 629°F rock, a record for enhanced geothermal that could support more reliable, around-the-clock generation.

Grid reliability & extreme weather: Hungary is preparing to shut down the Paks nuclear plant after record-low Danube levels cut cooling water, with output already down to a fraction of normal and officials warning of a possible full shutdown within days. Blackout impacts: Cuba reported a partial national grid collapse that left western provinces without power after transmission line trips, amid long-running fuel and repair constraints. Transmission & infrastructure buildout: HD Hyundai Electric marked its 1,000th ultra-high-voltage transformer shipment in the U.S., a 500kV unit headed to Georgia Transmission for Florida grid use. Renewables momentum: India’s July power mix hit a record renewable high, pushing coal’s share to a one-year low as solar and wind surged. Solar in the real world: A Philippines project repurposed decommissioned solar panels into school tables, while Massachusetts is moving EVs toward grid support via a broader virtual power plant and possible vehicle-to-grid participation. Policy & costs: Virginia regulators are revisiting who pays for data-center transmission lines, with residents still arguing they’ve been stuck with the bill. Nuclear geopolitics: The U.S. and Israel are reportedly planning strikes targeting Iran’s civilian energy infrastructure, raising the stakes for regional power and supply chains.

Emergency Power Policy: Philippines Sen. Risa Hontiveros filed a bill that would let the President impose a power-rate price cap during states of emergency or calamity, suspend residential disconnections for up to 90 days, and allow staggered payments. Nuclear Cooling Crisis: Hungary’s Paks plant is cutting output and could shut down this weekend as record-low Danube levels strain cooling water supplies, with officials warning of possible weeks offline and new demand-reduction measures. Renewables Dealflow: Powerica secured a 100 MW wind PPA with Gujarat’s GUVNL at ₹3.435/kWh for 25 years; CleanMax reported Q1 FY27 momentum with 6 GW contracted RE power sales (6.8 GW including services) and 0.5 GW commissioned. Grid & Rates: Pennsylvania’s average residential bill is up sharply, with the state’s Independent Fiscal Office citing higher generation and transmission costs; Hartford extended its wholesale power contract with WPPI through 2073. Solar for Resilience: Alaska’s Ouzinkie village plans a solar-plus-battery backup system for up to 17 hours during hydro downtime, aiming to cut expensive diesel use. Clean Energy Market Design: CEEW and SECI signed an MoU to shape next-gen power market mechanisms, including scaling Contracts for Difference and market-linked instruments.

Grid Reliability & Storms: A raven knocked out power in Girdwood, Alaska, damaging a transformer and substation equipment and leaving about 1,900 customers dark while crews worked to restore service. Wildfire Preparedness: Hawaiian Electric is in a PSPS “watch” mode on Hawai‘i Island as wind and dry conditions raise wildfire risk, urging customers to prepare for possible extended outages. Extreme Weather Impacts: Greece’s Attica region is battered by extreme meltemi winds, with gusts near 150 km/h raising wildfire and damage risks. Power Outage Safety: A tree downed an electric line in Dubuque, Iowa, triggering a home fire and prompting Alliant Energy to cut power during salvage. Nuclear Cooling Crisis: Hungary is preparing to shut down the Paks nuclear plant as Danube water levels hit record lows, cutting output and raising questions about river-dependent generation. Nuclear Industry Moves: The U.S. DOE selected five states for Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses, aiming to spur up to $50B in investment across the nuclear fuel cycle. Solar & Bills: India’s PM Surya Ghar program says nearly 18.94 lakh households reported zero electricity bills after rooftop solar, while Libya announced new solar projects to support its grid. Data Centers & Grid Cost Debate (Texas): Texas lawmakers and regulators are weighing who pays for transmission upgrades as AI-driven data center demand could nearly double by 2032. Policy & Market Access: The FCC added certain foreign-made power inverters to its covered list, potentially affecting future solar, wind, and battery buildouts. Community Clean Power: ComEd, Solar Landscape and Public Storage plan 60 rooftop community solar sites in northern Illinois, targeting bill savings and added grid capacity.

Grid Reliability & Policy Pressure: Hungary’s Paks nuclear plant is shut after record-low Danube water levels, cutting nearly half the country’s power supply and prompting EU readiness to convene an emergency grid meeting; Hungary is asking households and industry to cut peak use to avoid a crisis. Heat & Market Volatility: Europe’s summer heatwave is pushing power prices to winter-like peaks as cooling demand spikes while nuclear, gas, and wind output drop. Solar Scale-Up: India’s Cabinet approved ₹5,070 crore for PM Surya Sarovar Yojana to add 5,000 MW of floating solar with 10,000 MWh of storage, aiming to expand capacity beyond today’s ~700 MW. Nuclear & Geopolitics: A Reuters report says Westinghouse confidentially filed for a US IPO as nuclear and data-center demand converge, while commentary keeps spotlight on the US-Saudi nuclear deal’s nonproliferation risks. Off-Grid Finance: Africa’s off-grid solar firms are landing landmark funding deals (d.light green bond; Sun King securitised debt), testing whether mainstream investors will back PayGo receivables at scale. Wildfire Risk to Power Assets: A wildfire near the UK’s Sizewell nuclear site is described as stabilising after major landscape damage, keeping nuclear monitoring in focus. Consumer Cost Controls: Philippines Sen. Risa Hontiveros filed a bill to let the president impose a “price cap” on power rates during emergencies as bills rise.