Grid Security & Reliability: Philippines police are investigating possible sabotage after the Ilijan–Tayabas power line in Batangas tripped, with security tightened nationwide. Local Power Crisis: Oriental Mindoro’s supply worsened after an 8MW Roxas plant fire, triggering extended rotational brownouts as renewables underperformed and other plants faced maintenance/technical issues. Energy Prices & Affordability: Ireland’s data-center electricity pricing is under fire in the Dáil, with claims it’s pushing up household bills while arrears rise; in the UK, Ofgem’s July price-cap hike is set to lift typical bills by 13%. AI Demand Pressure: TSMC says AI-driven electricity demand is shifting the chip bottleneck toward energy efficiency, while New Jersey unveils a comprehensive plan to curb data-center cost impacts. Renewables Build-Out: First Solar’s India manufacturing push highlights faster, water-sparing module production; Vietnam eyes major wind growth with offshore potential; France moves forward on a giant Normandy offshore wind project. Nuclear & Advanced Fuel: Curio files with the NRC to pursue licensing for NuCycle used-fuel recycling; Holtec’s SMR-300 is picked for Utah’s Green River advanced nuclear effort. Geopolitics & Oil: Fresh US-Iran strikes jolt markets and threaten Strait of Hormuz disruption, while US sanctions target Iran’s Persian Gulf shipping authority. Investment Outlook: IEA projects global energy investment at $3.4T in 2026, with oil’s share declining and gas investment rising.