AGP Executive Report

Nuclear Under Drought Pressure (Romania): Romania began a controlled shutdown of Unit 2 at Cernavodă after Danube flows plunged to record lows, leaving the country without about 20% of its electricity and pushing reliance toward wind, solar, and imports. Grid Resilience & Heat (Europe): The Danube’s extreme low levels are disrupting cooling and hydropower across central Europe, with operators scrambling to keep supply steady. Renewables in the Real World (Ireland): EirGrid data shows July hit a record for solar, with renewables at 32% of generation and grid operators working toward higher variable-renewables limits. Solar for Bills (US): DC Water finished a 1.8-MW solar array on a reservoir, aiming to cut costs for 500+ income-qualified households through community solar. Clean Energy Policy Fight (Michigan, US): Gov. Gretchen Whitmer opposed Consumers Energy’s plan to sell 13 hydropower dams, warning private ownership could raise safety and taxpayer risks. Solar in Industry (Canada): Old Dutch Foods opened an energy-efficient PEI facility using solar and geothermal systems to cut fossil use. Space-Based Solar Test (US): Reflect Orbital won FCC approval to test beamed sunlight from a satellite, but scientists are urging caution over wildlife, astronomy, and health impacts. Wind Build-Out (Turkey): Turkey plans its first offshore wind tender in early 2027, targeting 5 GW by 2035.

Wind & Grid Buildout: ACEN is pumping up to P1B into its Quezon North wind project in the Philippines, with Phase 1 at 344.5MW due late 2026 and Phase 2 at 208MW following into 2027-28. Hydropower Dealmaking: JSW Energy and Bhutan’s DGPC signed to jointly develop the 920MW Punatsangchhu-III hydropower project, with DGPC holding 51% and JSW Neo 49%, and DPR work now underway. Solar in the Real World: Victoria’s inquiry backed building-integrated solar for apartments, arguing BIPV can unlock savings where rooftop space is limited. Energy Security, All-of-the-Above: Prime Infra CEO Guillaume Lucci says the Philippines needs “power of all sorts” after the Hormuz shock—reliability and affordability can’t be sequenced away from decarbonization. Climate Stress on Water: India’s Jolaput reservoir water drop is raising alarms for hydropower and farming as rainfall deficits persist. Solar Waste Warning: A new study projects PV waste could reach 297–402M tonnes by 2060, but proper recycling could unlock nearly $1T in value. Policy & Markets: India’s coal mine proposals jumped in 2025, driven largely by Jharkhand and Odisha, even as renewables keep gaining ground.

Grid Reliability & Solar Eclipse Fallout: Britain’s grid operator warned of a sharp shortfall as a near-total solar eclipse is set to crush solar output, prompting “backup” payments to generators and calls for households to cut power use during the 6pm–8pm peak. Energy Storage & Inverters: Huawei rolled out Bangladesh’s first grid-forming smart string inverter paired with large-scale battery storage, aiming to keep renewables stable as solar scales. Renewables Policy: Italy’s final FER X decree entered into force, setting a new renewables support framework through 2030 for solar, onshore wind, hydropower and sewage-gas. Solar Growth & Hybrids: LevelTen says Europe’s PPA market is shifting toward solar-plus-storage, with hybrid deals pricing just above blended PPAs. Hydropower Under Pressure: Austria’s Danube hydropower output is being curtailed by record-low water levels, underscoring how heat and drought are squeezing water-dependent power. Water Stress in the West: Lake Mead hit a new record low as megadrought persists, raising stakes for power and water planning across the Colorado River system. Local Power Planning: Waterloo Region is moving toward a framework for large data centers after residents raised grid and water concerns. Project Updates: Nepal’s 132 kV Dandakhet–Rahughat transmission line is at 89% progress but likely needs more months due to permitting, geology and local disputes.

US Legal Update: A federal judge permanently dismissed major criminal charges against Gautam Adani and Sagar Adani, with the dismissal “with prejudice,” removing a long-running legal overhang for the ports-to-energy group. Grid & Storage: Tucson Electric Power doubled battery capacity at Roadrunner Reserve to 400 MW, storing daytime solar for evening peaks and helping manage extreme heat demand. Renewables Dealmaking: CESC’s renewables arm Purvah Green Power will buy a 1.4 GW operating solar portfolio from ReNew Solar for about $510M, boosting contracted clean capacity as India’s solar keeps cutting midday fossil generation. Hydropower & Climate Stress: Lake Mead hit a new record low as drought persists across the US Southwest, underscoring pressure on hydropower-linked water and power systems. Policy & Planning: Vietnam’s energy leaders say policy and institutional reforms are the key bottleneck for scaling LNG, renewables, and hydrogen as demand rises. Project Pipeline: EDF-led partners reached financial close on Oman’s 120 MW Jaalan Bani Bu Ali wind project, targeting operations in 2027. Local Clean Power: Solomon Islands and Australia-backed work is extending renewable electricity via a new Tina River hydropower transmission line to Honiara.

Solar Eclipse Grid Stress Test: Britain’s Octopus Energy is urging households to cut electricity use during the Aug. 12 eclipse (6–8 p.m.) as solar output could drop by up to 1.3 GW, while Europe’s transmission operators are also preparing for a wider PV dip (up to 9.7 GW in some regions). Grid Stability Push in Kenya: Kenya Power says solar and wind already make up about a third of peak generation and warns that rapid swings raise frequency/voltage risks—calling for more geothermal, hydro, and imports to balance the system. Hydropower Storage Priority: India’s parliamentary panel urges NHPC to fast-track a 20,000 MW pumped storage pipeline to strengthen grid stability as renewables expand. Renewables Dealmaking: Bangladesh’s Idcol is financing a 5.85 MWp industrial rooftop solar project; India’s CESC/Purvah Green is buying 1.4 GWp of solar assets from ReNew for about $509M; and the Philippines’ Yuchengco group completes its buyout to take full control of PetroWind’s 49.56 MW wind portfolio. Long-Duration Storage Spotlight: Flow batteries get renewed attention as the next step beyond short-lived lithium-ion for multi-day renewable backup. Water-Energy Reality Check: Lake Mead hits a new record low as drought deepens across the U.S. Southwest, underscoring how water scarcity can tighten power supplies.

Solar M&A in India: RPSG’s CESC arm Purvah Green Power will buy ReNew Solar’s 1.4 GWp operating solar portfolio for ₹4,859 crore (₹48.6bn enterprise value), with 90%+ tied to long-term SECI PPAs—an instant scale-up plus more storage in the pipeline. US legal overhang on solar: A US judge dismissed with prejudice the Adani Group bribery/fraud case after the DOJ dropped it, citing jurisdictional and proof challenges tied to alleged solar contract conduct in India. Hydropower engineering milestone: China’s Datang Zhala impulse hydropower project in Xizang completed rotor hoisting for the world’s largest impulse unit (500 MW), a step toward commercial operation and cleaner power transmission. Grid stress + gas turbine demand: JPMorgan says global gas turbine orders hit a record quarter as data centers and electrification drive demand, while turbine shortages and higher costs raise pressure on power planning. Data centers vs power reality: In the Philippines, officials say hyperscale AI firms passed on New Clark City largely due to insufficient electricity supply, despite incentives. Hydropower disruption from hazards: Nepal’s Gharkhola hydropower plant was damaged by a dry landslide, leaving one missing and power production disrupted. Renewables policy push (Malaysia): Malaysia approved 42 FiT projects (biogas, biomass, small hydropower) totaling 331.355 MWp, aiming to spur investment and local supply-chain jobs. Water-energy resilience (Qatar): Kahramaa launched a 2026 customer satisfaction survey covering electricity and water service quality from July to November.

Solar M&A in India: RPSG’s Purvah Green Power will buy Renew Solar Power’s 1.4 GWp operating solar portfolio for INR 4,859 crore, with 90%+ of capacity under long-term SECI contracts—an immediate scale-up toward 10 GW renewables. Grid resilience for eclipse season: Europe’s operators are bracing for Wednesday’s solar eclipse, with Portugal’s REN estimating a 450 MW solar drop (about 7% of consumption) and calling for extra hydro and/or thermal reserves; the UK’s Octopus is urging households to cut evening power use to avoid firing up gas plants. Batteries replacing diesel: Malawi commissioned its first battery storage system (20 MW/40 MWh) to stabilize the grid and unlock more renewables, while also bringing a 10 MW Salima solar plant online. Hydropower risk from extreme weather: India’s NHPC told a parliamentary panel that the Sikkim glacial flood caused 3,770 million units of hydropower generation loss over two years, prompting early-warning upgrades. Local power-policy friction: Iowa’s Linn County rejected rezoning that would have allowed large data centers near a nuclear plant, citing community concerns over water and power. Energy security in Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka is set to connect 16 substation-based battery storage systems (10 MW each) to the grid in early September to cut nighttime diesel generation. Water stress watch: Lake Mead hit its lowest level since it was filled nearly 90 years ago, underscoring pressure on Colorado River hydropower and supply.

Data Center Power Rules: Gujarat’s new Viksit Gujarat Data Center Policy makes “Green AI” power mandatory: eligible hyperscale projects must run on at least 51% renewable/green electricity, with tariff subsidies, grants, and tax breaks aimed at 7.5 GW by 2029. Grid Stress & Market Prices: Davao City warns Mindanao’s reserve only covers 4–5 years, yet consumers still face higher rates due to national market rules that force local power through WESM. Clean Power Milestone: India crossed 300 GW of non-fossil installed capacity, with solar leading (about 165 GW) and wind above 58 GW, as the country races toward 500 GW by 2030. Gas Supply Pivot: Cyprus says the Cronos field will feed Europe via Egypt by early 2028, as the East Mediterranean becomes a new gas source. Hydropower Delays: Pakistan’s Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project remains shut after tunnel failures; WAPDA now targets restart by March 2028. Climate & Water Crisis: Lake Mead hit a record-low level, underscoring worsening Colorado River drought impacts on water and hydropower. Solar for Resilience: New Zealand selected 500 schools for rooftop solar under a $30m programme to cut bills and boost energy security. Renewables in Hard Places: Cuba is accelerating solar to cope with fuel shortages, expanding incentives and duty exemptions for solar imports.

Grid & storage milestone: California says its battery energy storage resources have topped 21,000 MW, helping the state lean on solar and cut reliance on natural gas in the first half of 2026. Clean power growth: India crossed 300 GW of non-fossil installed capacity, with solar leading at about 165 GW, as the country pushes toward 500 GW by 2030. Solar policy push: The Philippines’ DOE and lawmakers are backing changes aimed at removing barriers for rooftop solar and battery systems through a “Sariling Kuryente” bill. Project shake-ups: EDP has abandoned Portugal’s €169 million Alqueva floating solar-plus-wind plan after costs rose and economics deteriorated. Energy security via gas: Cyprus says the Cronos natural gas field could start supplying Europe by March 2028, with pipeline work to Egypt’s Zohr and LNG processing at Damietta. Hydropower risk: Pakistan’s Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project is unlikely to restart before 2028 after two more years of rehabilitation. Water stress hits power: Lake Mead reached its lowest level since 1937 as the Colorado River crisis deepens, threatening hydropower and water deliveries. Affordability focus: Mindanao’s energy agency warns that even with supply surpluses, power rates remain vulnerable to market and outage factors, calling for reforms beyond new capacity. Community solar access: Illinois is moving forward with a community solar plan that could lower bills and route tax benefits to schools.

Energy Security: Cyprus says the Cronos natural gas field will start supplying Europe by March 2028 after a pipeline to Egypt’s Zohr hub and LNG processing at Damietta. Grid Resilience: A full solar eclipse could cut solar output across Europe—up to 5GW in Spain and 1.3GW in the UK—forcing operators to balance with other power as heat and low hydropower already strain systems. Storage & Solar Uptake: The UK home battery market keeps heating up, with Hinen set to launch a slimmer, scalable residential storage system aimed at storing rooftop solar for later use. Policy & Industry: Nigeria pushes local manufacturing of solar panels, batteries, and inverters to cut import dependence, while Africa’s big economies accelerate domestic solar production plans—though China’s supply dominance remains. Renewables on the Ground: Ghana’s Bui Power Authority nearly doubled solar capacity to 105MWp and posted US$66.2m net profit in 2025. Water Stress: Lake Mead hit a new record low, underscoring how drought is reshaping both hydropower and regional energy planning. Local Power Politics: Scotland’s small hydropower operators are fighting business-rate hikes after a court ruling left rates sky-high.

Grid Resilience (U.S.): Lake Mead hit its lowest level since it was filled ~90 years ago, underscoring the Colorado River crisis and raising pressure on hydropower and water supplies. Solar Reliability (U.S.): Texas avoided a near-meltdown during peak demand thanks to rapid solar plus storage buildout, with solar delivering a large share of generation during extreme heat. Solar Expansion (Zambia): Zambia is funding a 100MW Kasama solar project with US$84.2M to diversify away from rainfall-dependent hydropower. Storage & Policy (California): California says it has surpassed 21,000MW of battery storage and hit a “world-first” 51% solar share in May—while a separate outage analysis argues the grid still faces vulnerability. Wind Permitting (Norway): Norway moves to cut permitting delays for onshore wind and grid connections, targeting a 50% reduction in grid development timelines. Offshore Wind Backlash (U.S.): The Trump administration is paying about $4B in settlements to cancel offshore wind projects, including a $1.22B deal with RWE. Cross-Border Power (India-Sri Lanka): India and Sri Lanka reviewed HVDC interconnection and solar plans, aiming to expand cross-border electricity trade. Energy Access (Ethiopia): Ethiopia’s EEU says it connected 664,505 households to electricity and electrified hundreds of rural areas using off-grid solar. Embedded Solar (Philippines): Citicore began a Pampanga embedded solar project with battery storage tied to a distribution utility, targeting completion by 2027. Climate Risk (Europe): Grid operators are preparing for a solar eclipse-driven dip in European solar output next week. Energy & Food (Iraq): In Iraq’s desert, groundwater-backed cultivation is expanding wheat and livestock production, with calls to extend the grid to power farm equipment.

Offshore Wind Retreat: RWE is walking away from planned US offshore wind projects after a $1.22B settlement with the Trump administration, saying there’s “no path forward” for permits—another blow to wind investment. Grid Storage Push: Energy Vault’s stock surged after a major 1.25 GW AI power deal, pairing battery storage with grid-forming tech to speed data-center power delivery. Solar + Storage in Practice: Philippines’ Citicore Renewable Energy started its first “embedded” solar with 53 MWh battery storage tied to Pelco I, targeting completion by 2027. Local Solar Resilience: Iloilo City earmarked P25M for solar systems across city offices to keep services running during disasters and energy crises. Water Crisis Hits Power: Lake Mead fell to a record low, threatening Colorado River hydropower and water supplies for tens of millions. EU Battery Debate: A new EU focus on batteries is colliding with concerns about blackout risk and wasted wind/solar—storage is becoming strategic, but scrutiny is rising. Hydropower Governance: Pakistan’s NAB urged lifting a Rs500m corruption case cap, while regulators and officials continue to wrestle with power-sector costs and project obligations.

Colorado River Fallout: Lake Mead hit a new record low at 1,040.5 feet as drought tightens water and hydropower risks across the basin. Hydropower vs. Ecology: Federal officials won’t release cool water from Lake Powell this year, prioritizing strained hydropower while leaving a threatened fish more exposed. Grid Stress in Heat: China’s summer peak load reached a new record, pushing utilities toward storage, virtual power plants, and long-distance transmission to keep cooling demand covered. Clean Power Funding (Canada): Nunavut is set to receive $3M for five solar projects under Canada’s National Electricity Strategy, including rooftop PV to cut diesel use. Solar Procurement (India): U-Solar won L1 for a 20 MW floating solar project in Chhattisgarh, targeting commissioning within a year. Trade Shock for Solar (US): Trump’s 15% polysilicon tariff plus minimum pricing threatens higher US solar panel costs and could widen the green tech divide. Offshore Wind Backlash (US): The Interior Department paid $1.22B to end offshore wind leases, with more taxpayer buybacks nearing $4B. Energy Deals (US): Constellation signed 920 MW of new long-term power deals, including a Walmart nuclear PPA. Home Storage Boom (Australia): Western Australia passed 50,000 home battery installs, adding over 1.1 GWh of storage. Renewables Diplomacy (South Asia): India and Bhutan reaffirmed hydropower and cross-border electricity cooperation; India and Sri Lanka reviewed HVDC and solar plans. Floating Wind Milestone (China): CNOOC connected a 16 MW typhoon-resistant floating wind platform to an offshore oilfield grid.

Solar + storage procurement: Mumbai’s BEST won MERC approval to buy 220 MW of solar paired with 110 MW/440 MWh battery storage via SECI’s ISTS-connected tranche, locking in a discovered tariff around ₹2.86–₹2.87/kWh for 25 years. Hydropower policy fight: India’s parliamentary panel urged a workable “water cess” framework for hydropower, warning that state-level changes to NHPC terms are hitting project feasibility and timelines. Heat + drought stress grids: Record heat and drought across central/eastern Europe forced Poland to cut coal output at Kozienice and Połaniec, while Romania and Moldova face tight power conditions as river levels and cooling water constraints bite. Clean power expansion in the Pacific: Solomon Islands broke ground on a 22-km transmission line to bring up to 15 MW from the Tina River hydropower project to Honiara, aiming to cut diesel reliance by 2028. Offshore wind milestone: China’s Haiyou Anlan, a 16-MW typhoon-resistant tension-leg floating wind platform, began supplying green power to the Lufeng oilfield grid. Home battery reality check: New research argues batteries help, but poor home energy design can still waste power—so efficiency must come first.

Offshore Wind Policy Shock (US): RWE agreed to a $1.22B settlement with the Trump administration to give up offshore wind leases off New York, California and Louisiana, adding to nearly $4B in total lease buybacks and leaving the company with no remaining US offshore wind leases. Grid Reliability & Water Stress (Romania/Europe): Romania delayed sinking barges into the Danube to keep cooling water flowing for its only working nuclear reactor, with staged power cuts prepared if needed as drought and low river levels squeeze hydropower and imports. Heatwave Strains Power (Slovakia/Central Europe): Slovakia set a new record 42.2C as drought and extreme heat hit the region, raising wildfire risk and adding pressure to electricity systems. Solar + Storage Moves Forward (India): Maharashtra’s regulator approved BEST’s 220MW solar procurement paired with 110MW/440MWh battery storage under a long-term deal with SECI. Community Solar for Bills (US): DC Water completed a 1.8MW community solar project via Solar for All, targeting bill savings for 500+ income-qualified households. Solar Expansion in Africa (Nigeria): A proposed $500M solar financing plan would back university projects, aiming to cut diesel dependence and power campuses plus nearby rural communities. Floating Wind Breakthrough (China): China connected a 16MW typhoon-resistant floating wind platform to an offshore oilfield grid, targeting tens of millions of kWh annually.

Solar Policy Push (Philippines): The DOE told distribution utilities to drop preapproval hurdles for small solar, speeding installs for self-generating facilities, microsolar and zero-export systems—while still requiring safety steps like anti-islanding for microsolar. Space Power Tech (China): China is racing to power satellites and lunar missions with next-gen photovoltaics, including high-efficiency perovskite tandems and flexible solar approaches. Solar for Crisis Grids (Sudan): Sudan fully exempted customs duties on solar systems as outages worsen after damage at the Merowe Dam, aiming to cut costs and boost adoption. India Solar Scale-Up: Maharashtra regulators approved tariffs for 2,269 MW of distributed solar under MSKVY 2.0, and MNRE data show India’s solar generation up 138% in four years. Grid Stress From Heat/Drought (Europe): Extreme heat and low river flows are squeezing hydropower, cooling at refineries, and even nuclear output planning in places like Croatia. Offshore Wind Milestone (China): A 16 MW tension-leg floating wind unit started operating, feeding power to an offshore oilfield via subsea cable. Cooling With Solar (UK/Cold Chain): A solar-powered refrigerated container trial kept a -18°C setpoint for over a week off-grid.