AGP Executive Report

Nuclear Security: Qatar reiterated its condemnation of the drone attack on the UAE’s Barakah nuclear plant at an IAEA emergency session, calling it a violation of international law and nuclear safety principles. Nuclear Safety Diplomacy: The IAEA said the strike was a “serious compromise of nuclear safety,” warning that attacks on peaceful nuclear facilities are unacceptable. Renewables & Resilience: A new Ellis County, Kansas solar farm cleared a key step—1,200 acres approved for a $275M project expected to power 30,000+ homes and create jobs. Grid & Data Centers: Portland General Electric filed for new Oregon rates for large-load data centers and crypto mining, with data-center costs projected to rise 29% while residential rates dip slightly. AI Power Buildout: Google and Intersect Power broke ground on the Meitner Energy Center in Texas, pairing a data center with 1GW+ of wind, solar, and battery storage to meet demand without extra grid draw. Advanced Nuclear Milestone: The DOE said Antares’ Mark-0 microreactor reached criticality at Idaho National Lab, a step toward electricity generation. Local Power Reliability: Kabul residents report worsening seasonal outages, with some saying they get only about three hours of power per day.

Nuclear Safety & Diplomacy: The IAEA brokered a local ceasefire near Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia plant to let crews repair the 750-kV Dniprovska power line, crucial for cooling six shut-down reactors and reducing reliance on diesel backups. Grid Reliability: ERCOT says Texas summer peak demand could jump nearly 10% year over year to about 92,211 MW as hotter weather and rising industrial loads—including crypto—push the system. Nuclear Buildout: Japan’s industry ministry proposed replacing up to 14 ageing reactors by the 2050s (and 2–5 by the 2040s) to support a nuclear share target of about 20% by fiscal 2040 amid AI-driven demand growth. SMR Momentum: In Idaho, Antares’ Mark-0 microreactor hit criticality, marking a fast path from concept to a working reactor and aiming for operational units at US military sites by 2028. Renewables & Storage: Switzerland is building a massive underground vanadium flow battery expected to store about 2.1 GWh and deliver up to 1.2 GW—enough for roughly 210,000 homes for a day. Solar Policy: Maryland and Virginia approved plug-in balcony solar systems, expanding rooftop access for renters and homeowners without full installs.

Grid Governance: U.S. officials are floating a breakup of PJM Interconnection, warning the grid operator can’t approve new capacity fast enough as AI-driven data centers strain supply and push up prices. Renewables Policy: India’s rooftop solar push is accelerating under PM Surya Ghar, with a new utility-linked aggregation model aimed at reaching 75 lakh households by end-2026. Solar Expansion, Local Politics: Georgia’s solar debate turns personal as a southwest Michigan township denies a large solar expansion after months of farmland-and-community backlash. Nuclear Moves: Kazakhstan’s first nuclear plant is set to cover about 20% of current demand, while Italy’s lower house backs a legal path to restart nuclear planning. Power Reliability: Southeast Texas saw thousands of outages after a squirrel hit lines in Port Arthur, and Michigan crews restored power after a tree limb outage. Data Centers + Clean Power: Google and Intersect broke ground on a Texas Panhandle co-located data center and generation complex integrating 1 GW+ of wind/solar/storage with gas firming. International Oversight: The IAEA says it still can’t verify Iran’s nuclear activities due to limited access, raising proliferation concerns.

Rajasthan Solar Build-Out: NTPC Renewable Energy floated an EPC tender for a 550 MW grid-connected solar PV project near Shimbhoo Ka Burj, with bids due June 26 and a 3-year O&M requirement. Maharashtra Solar Lifeline: MERC approved amendments to MSKVY 2.0 PPAs, extending commissioning to March 31, 2026 and adding a Dec. 31, 2026 long-stop date while rejecting a lower-tariff clause. Grid + Storage in California: EDF Renewables and Masdar secured a 15-year PPA for the BigBeau 128 MW solar plus 40 MW/160 MWh BESS project, operational since 2022. Nigeria Prosumers Rule: NERC launched Net Billing Regulations 2026, letting eligible solar customers sell excess power back to distribution companies. EV Demand Signal (Vermont): Vermont passed 20,000 EVs as used EVs and cheaper home charging push driving costs to about $1.75/gallon equivalent. Nuclear Debate Abroad: Eskom revived its Thyspunt nuclear plan in South Africa’s draft IRP, while North Korea inspected a new weapons-grade material plant and pledged an “exponential” ramp-up. AI Power Push: Eurelectric’s “Twin Transition Commitments” links AI growth with grid readiness, citing data centers as a major driver of European electricity demand.

Grid & Rates: Michigan regulators face another fight as Consumers Energy seeks a $456M electric rate base increase, while seasonal time-of-use pricing and summer peak rates are already squeezing bills. Storm Impacts: Severe weather knocked out power across Pakistan’s MEPCO region and caused outages and a fire in Henderson, Tennessee. Distributed Solar Policy: Nigeria’s NERC launched Net Billing Regulations 2026, letting solar “prosumers” export surplus to DisCos for credits; New York is also moving toward “balcony solar” that plugs into outlets for renters. AI Demand Pressure: Consumer Reports and market coverage warn AI data centers are pushing up electricity costs and shifting capacity-auction prices onto millions of ratepayers. Offshore Wind Legal Battle: New York and a coalition of states sued to reverse Trump-era offshore wind lease cancellations, including a TotalEnergies payout deal. Nuclear & Security: IAEA chief Grossi toured UAE’s Barakah plant, while Russia’s Ryabkov renewed nuclear deterrence threats; China advanced Xudabao reactor testing. Project Finance & Buildout: Vesper Energy closed $236M financing for a Texas solar project; Abu Dhabi’s EWEC awarded Taweelah C with gas plus carbon-capture readiness.

Grid reliability & storms: Severe winds and rain knocked out power across parts of the U.S., with crews working to restore service after trees fell onto lines and outages hit thousands in Alabama and Missouri. EV economics & charging: Vermont says EVs are gaining fast as gas prices stay high and discounted home charging makes driving cheaper; separate local updates show more EV charging infrastructure getting approved. Renewables + storage as the new baseline: Malaysia’s LSS6 solar push will require battery storage for new projects, while a Myanmar PV+storage project hit commercial operation quickly, and the EU says solar and wind cut 2025 fossil fuel import costs. Nuclear security & operations: The IAEA backed the UAE after the Barakah drone attack, and Zaporizhzhia again lost external power briefly due to a strike on a nearby substation. Data centers drive demand: Southern India’s digital buildout is forcing a fast power build, and ERCOT is moving to streamline data center grid access. Policy & investment: USDA loans are funding rural transmission and smart grid upgrades, and a co-op solar/microgrid model in Spokane is aimed at keeping critical community services running during outages. Industry moves: Emerson’s Ovation Green SCADA is helping a Western Colorado co-op optimize solar, wind, and batteries.

AI Data Center Power Push: Schneider Electric unveiled an 800VDC “sidecar” power system to support NVIDIA’s next-gen GPUs and ease rising AI data center electricity demand. Grid Reliability & Planning: NERC says the U.S. grid looks relatively ready for summer, with new solar-plus-storage adding about 75 GW since last year, though some regions could still face shortfalls in extreme heat. Offshore Wind Legal Fight: New York and six other states sued the Trump administration over a TotalEnergies deal that cancels offshore wind leases in exchange for about $1B in taxpayer-backed payments tied to fossil fuel investment. Nuclear Security Watch: IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said the UAE’s Barakah plant drone attack was “carefully targeted,” while the IAEA is offering technical support as repairs proceed after a reactor shutdown due to loss of external power. Solar Growth in Practice: Delhi rooftop solar surpassed 23,000 installations (about 420 MW), while the Philippines’ Eastern Visayas police began using a 48 kW PV system to cut costs. Rates & Costs: Michigan’s Consumers Energy filed for a $456M annual revenue hike, and Pakistan’s fuel cost adjustment could raise electricity prices by Rs1.73 per unit.

Grid Reliability & Outages: Western Australia’s “once-in-five-year” storm left 170,000 homes without power at peak, with about 12,000 still affected days later as crews tackle dozens of network hazards. Nuclear Decommissioning: TEPCO has started removing fuel from the Fukushima No. 2 spent-fuel pool, using remote cranes and aiming to finish by fiscal 2028. Renewables Procurement: South Africa’s UCT signed a wheeled PPA to cover up to 90% of campus electricity from Q3 2027, using off-site wind/solar credits to work around limited rooftop space. Solar & Storage Buildout: Oman’s O-Green reached financial close for a 93MW industrial solar project at Sohar, targeting September operations. Data Centers & Power Upgrades: Appalachian Power will upgrade transmission and substations for a Google data center in Virginia, with Google paying for the work. Policy & Legal Pressure: Pakistan faces a potential Rs1.72/unit tariff rise tied to fuel cost adjustments, while a Lahore High Court petition challenges capacity charges billed to consumers. Nuclear Waste Milestone: Finland is nearing approval for permanent underground spent-fuel storage at Onkalo, with a regulator decision expected by June.

Storm Restoration & Grid Resilience: Windy storms swept through Alabama, knocking out power for more than 100,000 customers as trees fell and crews worked to restore service. Wildfire Risk From Power Infrastructure: Investigators in Mountain Home, Idaho say arcing power lines sparked a brush fire that destroyed 15 homes and injured law enforcement. Solar Supply Chain & Manufacturing: Tandem PV added former U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm to its board as it scales perovskite-silicon solar; Hemlock Semiconductor named a new manufacturing VP to strengthen polysilicon output for solar and chips. Utility-Scale Solar Financing: Vesper Energy closed $236M financing for a 201 MW Nazareth Solar project in Texas aimed at ERCOT grid stability. Offshore Wind Planning: TotalEnergies filed for authorization for France’s 1.5 GW Centre Manche Energies offshore wind farm. Nuclear Expansion Watch: Ontario Power Generation is exploring a massive nuclear site near Port Hope/Wesleyville, while New Zealand’s nuclear-free stance faces fresh debate tied to nuclear propulsion. Data Centers & Rates: Regulators are pushing utilities to prove claims that data centers could lower electricity bills. Nuclear Policy Moves: Tennessee is set to roll out a fusion regulatory framework on June 9. Regional Power Crisis: NAWEC in The Gambia says outages stem from technical issues on a regional power network, not politics. Energy Tech Legal Fight: Nextpower sued GameChange Solar over alleged patent infringement tied to solar tracker and energy management systems.

Grid Resilience & Storm Risk: A U.S. report highlights how aging, above-ground power lines fail during harsher weather, with Michigan’s 2025 ice storm leaving thousands without power for weeks and showing the real-life stakes for hospitals and safety. AI Power Demand: Google, European Energy Australia and AirTrunk plan to bring a 25 MW Mulwala solar farm online in Australia to directly support data-center growth with renewables. Battery Manufacturing Push: iNVERGY India inaugurated a Dasna BESS “giga factory” in Uttar Pradesh, targeting 3 GWh annual capacity and making LiFePO4 packs plus solar inverters. Solar Policy & Costs: India’s MNRE now requires domestically made solar cells (not just modules) for many rooftop and open-access projects under ALMM List-II, with no blanket commissioning extensions; Pakistan also faces higher solar panel prices after a proposed sales tax jump. Offshore Wind Supply Chain: OEG won a multi-year UK contract with Ørsted for offshore wind inspection services, while Dajin Heavy argues Europe needs its monopiles to meet wind-at-sea targets. Nuclear Politics & Waste: New York lawmakers push a 30-month pause on new nuclear projects; Japan begins its 20th Fukushima wastewater release; Finland moves closer to starting operations at the world’s first permanent spent-fuel repository. Middle East Energy Tensions: Ukraine strikes Russian oil and fuel infrastructure while denying claims tied to Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant attacks. Local Power Reliability: Karachi’s unannounced load shedding disrupts electric bus routes and extends outages, while parts of Australia and elsewhere continue to see storm-driven blackouts.

Nuclear Safety Under Fire: The IAEA says drone damage at Russia-controlled Zaporizhzhia’s turbine hall keeps radiation “within normal limits,” but warns attacks on nuclear sites are “like playing with fire” as Russia and Ukraine trade blame. Grid Resilience & Storm Impacts: Strong winds and rain knocked out power across parts of Massachusetts, with trees and a toppled maple blamed for outages. Electrification Push: Kenya’s Ruto set aside Sh4.1bn to connect 17,000 Wajir homes via a solar hybrid plant and a 54-km grid extension under Last Mile Electrification. Power-Linked Water Crisis: In Karachi, a K-Electric cable fault and shutdown at Dhabeji disrupted pumping, triggering a 54MGD water shortfall. Renewables & Grid Stability: Texas wind projects face federal permit delays tied to defense airspace reviews, while rooftop solar owners in some regions are being asked to disconnect to maintain stability. AI’s Metal Demand: A North Queensland play is pitching copper, silver, tin and indium as the physical supply chain behind AI-driven electrification and data centers. Local Governance: A Bergen, NY resident group is asking the state to audit municipal electric department records and billing practices.

Grid Reliability: Oriental Mindoro’s island grid in the Philippines saw a slight improvement on May 30, with the deficit easing to 2.54 MW by 3 p.m., though multiple areas still faced outages as some feeders remained unserved and hydro output was constrained by low water levels and plant technical issues. Storm Impacts: Strong winds knocked out power across eastern Ontario and western Quebec, with Hydro One crews restoring service while outages persisted in several Ontario communities and about 14,000 customers were still without power mid-afternoon in Quebec. Nuclear Security: The UN nuclear watchdog chief warned that attacks on nuclear plants are becoming a dangerous “pattern,” citing incidents including a drone strike near Abu Dhabi’s Barakah site. Ukraine-Russia Nuclear Flashpoint: Rosatom says a Ukrainian drone hit the turbine hall of Zaporizhzhia NPP Unit 6, leaving a hole in the wall but not damaging main equipment; Ukraine denied the claim, while the IAEA previously reported repeated off-site power losses at the plant. Renewables Buildout: New York approved a 100 MW Fort Edward solar project after shrinking its footprint to reduce habitat and farmland impacts, while the UK granted planning consent for RWE’s Dogger Bank South and North Falls offshore wind projects. Solar as Resilience: Pakistan’s rooftop solar boom is credited with reducing exposure to oil-and-gas price shocks, with analysts estimating potential savings of $6.3 billion this year.

Grid Reliability & Outages: Oriental Mindoro’s reserve margin turned positive again after restored generation, but dependable capacity still lags contracted levels as some plants face constraints. Weather Stress: Severe storms and high winds left thousands without power across Idaho and Washington, with crews working through the weekend to clear downed lines and trees. Solar Policy & Market Signals: New Brunswick is weighing an end to rooftop solar incentives and a new buy/sell rate plus a demand charge—changes that could cut the value of home solar; in Greece, curtailments and negative prices are already hitting solar revenue. Rooftop Solar Grid Management: Sri Lanka’s grid operator asked rooftop solar owners to voluntarily switch off systems during low-demand festival hours to keep the national grid stable. Clean Power Buildouts: Eskom Green is starting construction on a 75 MW solar project in South Africa’s Free State, while Chile’s ContourGlobal commissioned a solar-plus-storage plant with 200 MW/1.3 GWh batteries for longer evening dispatch. EV & Electrification Demand: Nigeria reaffirmed support for EV industry growth via local-content and technology-transfer policies, as utilities and regulators worldwide grapple with rising power needs.

Nuclear Fuel Supply: Orano Enrichment USA asked the US NRC for a license to build “Project IKE,” a new uranium enrichment facility near Oak Ridge, Tennessee, aiming to produce up to 10% enriched uranium and support the domestic nuclear fuel chain. Grid Reliability & Outages: Consumers Energy plans two overnight outages in Midland, Michigan in June to finish electric grid upgrades affecting about 1,500 and 1,250 customers. Nuclear Expansion Watch: Saskatchewan is pushing nuclear as part of its long-term energy security strategy, including work toward “baseline” nuclear power and potential SMR and larger facility pathways. Data Centers vs Power: A new report highlights how AI data centers are driving electricity demand and raising grid stress concerns, with public opposition to new data centers growing in the US. Solar-Plus-Storage Buildout: ContourGlobal started commercial operation of a solar-plus-storage project in Chile, pairing a 231 MW solar plant with a 200 MW/6.5-hour battery. Corporate Power Deals: Microsoft signed a 140 MW solar PPA with Avangrid in Washington state, adding to its contracted clean power portfolio. Rates & Relief: Georgia Power customers are set for lower bills after the PSC approved rate changes that cut typical residential costs by about $4 a month. Solar Procurement in India: SECI invited transformer bids for a 700 MW solar project in Gujarat, signaling continued utility-scale solar build momentum.

Regulation & Market Power: The Philippines’ Energy Regulatory Commission tightened competition rules by setting market share caps for generators across Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and nationwide, aiming to curb monopolies as renewables and battery storage surge. Utility Rates: Georgia Power customers in the U.S. are set for about $4/month relief after the state Public Service Commission approved rate changes, with the deal partly tied to federal nuclear production tax credits—while critics argue the structure still leaves incentives misaligned. Grid Stress From Renewables: Vietnam’s fast-growing solar build is running into curtailment and transmission bottlenecks, with lenders and developers watching returns as grid constraints bite. Distributed Solar Momentum: Tata Power-DDL in Delhi energised a record 10,466 rooftop solar systems (160.3 MWp total), showing how policy-backed rooftop programs are scaling. Storm Impacts: Severe thunderstorms in the U.S. Inland Northwest left 33,000+ customers without power, with restoration complicated by downed lines and safety checks. Nuclear Policy Debate: NSW Labor again refused to rule out support for an AUKUS East Coast Nuclear Base at Port Kembla or Newcastle, keeping the political fight alive. Project Updates: Treaty Oak Clean Energy’s Redfield Solar Project reached commercial operation in Arkansas, adding 100 MW to the grid.

Nuclear-ready shipping: ABS rolled out a “nuclear-ready” notation for marine and offshore assets, aiming to let operators design today with future nuclear conversion in mind. Grid reliability under strain: Oriental Mindoro’s power crisis worsened after an 8MW Roxas plant fire, cutting supply to 58.99MW against 78.20MW demand and forcing extended brownouts. Solar keeps scaling: CU Boulder’s new 1.1MW East Campus solar array is now producing, while NTPC Green Energy declared commercial operation for 105MW at Khavda II in Gujarat. Wind procurement moves: GVEA approved a preliminary term sheet for the Delta Wind project, but the deal may miss expiring U.S. tax credits. Rates and outages pressure consumers: Georgia Power approved a plan to lower bills next month, while Negros Power warned Central Negros customers to expect possible June rate hikes amid tighter supply. Safety and weather risks: Delmarva Power pushed electrical safety tips during National Electrical Safety Month, and Hawaiian Electric urged hurricane preparedness as the season ramps up. Offshore wind faces new costs: A U.S. House spending bill would add inspection fees that could further squeeze offshore wind project economics.