Latest News
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India allows four Chinese-linked companies to bid on government projects
According to a government directive, India has permitted 'four Chinese manufacturers of power equipment with factories in the country' to participate in governmental tenders for critical 'power projects. The order from the Indian Ministry of Finance, dated June 24, and reviewed by said, allows TBEA Energy to participate in tenders. The document stated that India's Power Ministry?had requested the exemption in January of entities with manufacturing units located in India involved in critical energy projects. In January, it was reported that India is looking at a broader relaxation of the rules for Chinese bidders to win government contracts. New Delhi requires that Chinese bidders register with the government panel, and obtain political and security clearances before they can compete for state contracts. India is accelerating its expansion of its transmission system to meet the rising demand for?electricity and renewable energy. The order stated that the exemption was valid for a period of two years from the date it was issued and should not be viewed as a precedent by other companies. (Reporting and editing by Christian Schmollinger; Sarita Singh, Sethuraman N.R.
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India's coal-fired electricity output in June is the highest since November 2023
India's coal-fired electricity generation surged in June to a near three-year high due to increased cooling demand from higher temperatures caused by an extended heatwave, and lower-than-average rainfall during the monsoon season. India's total electricity generation rose?10.4% in June from a year earlier to 178.31 kilowatt-hours. This is according to Grid-India, which calculated daily data. The data shows that coal-fired electricity generation increased by 14% on an annual basis to 120.20 billionkWh in June, which is the highest level since November 2023. According to data from the weather office, India's June was its fifth-driest since 1901, due to an El Nino pattern. The searing heat prompted a demand for cooling. El Nino, or a warm Pacific Ocean off South America, is the cause of a hot and?dry climate in South and Southeast Asia. Lack of battery storage limits the use of solar power at this time, despite India's overall increase in renewable energy generation. Data showed that the share of renewable energy generation in India's electricity mix reached a new record in June. The total renewable generation in June was 33.81 billionkWh, a 23% increase from the previous year. Ankit Jain is vice president and co-group leader for corporate ratings, at the credit rating agency ICRA. He said that despite new additions to renewable capacity, thermal power production could increase in this fiscal year. This would be done to meet higher electricity demand during peak consumption periods. Data showed that the lower monsoon rains also contributed to a lower hydropower production?in June. The output fell 24.4% compared to a year ago to 14 billion kWh. This was the steepest drop since February 2024. The data revealed that natural-gas-based generation fell 30.1% from a year earlier in June. India's coal-powered generation will fall annually in 2025 for the first year since COVID-19 was implemented in 2020.
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BHP employees approve Pilbara Labour Deal, Unions Cite Persistent Concerns
Unions said on Friday that workers at BHP's South Flank iron ore operation and the?Mining Area C?iron ore operation in Western Australia voted for approval of a new labour agreement, but noted that many were still dissatisfied. The Combined BHP Ports Unions reported that 58% of workers voted for the agreement proposed by?the mining company, ending a series of negotiations about pay?and entitlements. Tim Day, WAIO Asset President at BHP said in an email that the agreement included a guaranteed 16% increase in pay?over a four-year period, as well as increases to site-based benefits and a payment scheme for delayed flights. Day said that the deal covered 1,814 employees, and 1,618 participated in the ballot. A spokesperson for the Combined BHP Ports Unions said that a significant minority voted against the agreement, citing the fact that it didn't adequately address certain issues such as the selective utilisation of company policies or the lack of a?clear progression and classification structures. Negotiations are ongoing at Port Hedland following a strike vote by workers last month. Port Hedland, Australia's largest iron ore loading port and one of the biggest in the world, is connected to BHP mines located in the Pilbara area.
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Grid operator PJM takes emergency measures to prevent large-scale US electricity outages
PJM, America's largest?power grid operator said that it had ordered generators?to run at maximum output? and brought idle?power _plants?online immediately on Thursday night, due to the escalating heat dome. PJM’s orders, as detailed on its website for emergency procedures, were aimed to preserve reliability, as it?sought?to maintain power on a network serving 67,000,000 people?across Mid-Atlantic, South, and Washington, D.C., and the world’s largest concentraion of data centers. Even before the heatwave this week, PJM was 'trying to overhaul a shaky system that had been pushed to?the?edge by soaring?energy consumption from data centers and electric cars. PJM’s “transmission security” action included preparing resources for demand-response to reduce electricity consumption if needed. Grid operators were also instructed to inform management, government agencies, and consider public conservation appeals. The report did not order voltage reductions, or tell electric utilities to reduce power to their customers. PJM didn't respond to a?request? for additional comments immediately. All available resources are deployed to reduce the risk of a customer outage if transmission conditions worsen or if supply becomes tighter. Practically, the move was made to avoid rolling blackouts and?other measures of last resort in a region including densely-populated Baltimore-Washington. (Reporting by Tim McLaughlin, Editing by Chris Reese & Jamie Freed).
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Carney confirms that British Columbia and Canada have agreed to a pact that will maintain the ban on oil tankers along the Northwest coast.
The province of British Columbia, in a deal announced on Thursday with Canada's federal government, maintains the ban on oil tankers along the northwest coast. However, it appears that if another route is proposed for the new crude oil pipeline by neighboring Alberta. The agreement was announced hours before Carney will travel to Alberta, where Premier Danielle Smith is expected to announce her province's plan for a pipeline that can transport 1,000,000 barrels of Alberta crude oil per day to B.C. The oil will be exported to other countries from the coast. Carney has attempted to strike a balance in order to grow Canada's oil sector, reduce its dependence on the U.S. and preserve some of Canada's environmental policies. Canada has only one West Coast pipeline that allows it to reach Asian markets. Ottawa's environment policies, particularly under Liberal ex-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, inflamed anger in oil rich Alberta and fueled an emerging separatist movement. On October 19, the?province will hold a non-binding referendum to decide if it wants to start the separation process from Canada. Alberta has stated that it is in favor of a B.C. pipeline route. B.C.'s northwestern coast is closer to Asia geographically than its southern coast. The ecologically fragile area has been a source of concern for many years. British Columbia Premier David Eby appeared to be open to the idea of a pipeline running through his province on Thursday, so long as the ban on tankers remains in place and that the Northwest Coast is protected. This agreement does not require us to support any pipeline proposals from Alberta. However, as I have said previously, we acknowledge our constitutional position and do not have the power to'stop' a new pipe. Eby said to reporters that they would not go to court to oppose a pipeline project. Smith will unveil the crude oil pipeline plan for her province at 8 p.m. EDT (midnight GMT). This proposal has not yet been endorsed by a private-sector sponsor. The federal government has also pledged to speed up the construction of new liquefied gas projects in B.C. Triple LNG production within the next decade. Reporting by Maria Cheng, Amanda Stephenson and Bhargav Asharya (Toronto), editing by Paul Simao
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Sources say that Europe is targeting shadow fleet tankers using false Cameroon flags
According to documents and officials, Europe has taken more aggressive action against tankers that falsely use the Cameroon flag registry for transporting?Russian oil. This includes boarding vessels on sea. The EU has expanded its'mandate for Operation IRINI in the Mediterranean on June 8, allowing it to stop, board, detain and inspect suspected Russian "shadow fleet" ships. Moscow condemned the move. Russia has used these tankers to avoid sanctions, by sailing them under different flags to conceal their true ownership, cargo, and movements. Two European military sources claim that three tankers, the Nelsa and the Oneiroi, which were boarded by IRINI and inspected in recent weeks and found to be fraudulently registered as Cameroonian, had been found. Since the beginning of 2026, the French, Belgians, British, and Swedish navies have seized nine other ships, five of which were flying the flag of Cameroon. Cameroon warned recently that shadow fleet?tankers transporting Russian crude oil had misused its registry. In a June 16 letter to the U.N. Shipping Agency, the Cameroon government stated that an investigation had revealed that several vessels were illegally operating under the country’s flag. It also said two websites were being fraudulently used to assign flags to ships. As a result, the?government announced that 39?ships had been de-listed. In recent years, the central African nation has become one of the largest conduits for fraudulent ship trafficking. The United Arab Emirates will ban ships flying the flag of Cameroon from visiting its ports until they are certified to the highest safety standards. Cameroon "cooperates with international authorities and organizations to enforce maritime laws, protect the credibility of its naval registry and fight against irregular registries," said its transport ministry in a recent statement. Cameroon added that it could not be held responsible for any vessel's activities after de-registration. The Deliver was intercepted by the French Navy on June 25, while it was?sailing in a Cameroonian Flag despite being removed from that country's registry. TOUGHER MANDATE The EU has prepared a'second round of sanctions for mid-July, which will target the shadow fleet. Kaja Kallas, EU's foreign policy chief, said that the goal was to "change the best practices" of the different countries in the use of these ships because they are a real danger. Of course, the other objective is to stop Russia from funding?this conflict. According to European officials, the latest EU sanctions package could be adopted as early as July. It would include 30 additional vessels from Russia's "shadow fleet" and expand listing criteria for vessels that refuel sanctioned vessels or offload?cargo. These vessels can pose risks to seafarers as well as the environment if they do not meet maintenance requirements, or if they break up in the sea. This happened in the Black Sea with two Russian oil tankers that broke apart in the late 2024. (Reporting and editing by Jason Neely; Jonathan Saul and John Irish)
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The heat dome is a problem for the largest US power grid, beyond data center boom
The largest U.S. grid PJM prepared for record-breaking consumption spurred on by a 'heat dome' and a boom in data centres on Thursday. They did this by re-routing traffic on power lines, and dispatching expensive fossil fuel plants to avoid outages. PJM predicted that a scorching heat of up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit would break the 20-year record for demand at 6 p.m. Thursday EDT. The forecast for peak electricity consumption is 166.2 gigawatts, which would surpass the previous record of 165.6 GW. PJM claims it can meet the challenge. According to the 'latest report' from PJM’s independent market monitor, despite the strain on PJM’s grid caused by power-hungry, data-intensive data centers, the operator's total cost of operating a system that serves 67 million users has increased more than 16 billion dollars, or nearly 70%, this year. Monitoring Analytics estimates that the surge in demand for wholesale power across the grid accounted for $3.8 Billion, or 23%, of the $16.25 Billion increase year-over-year. According to the report of the market monitor, PJM's wholesale power cost was $40 billion for the first five month of this year. This is up 68% compared to $23.8 billion the previous year. According to Monitoring Analytics, the costs of keeping PJM’s overloaded grid’s reserve coal and natural gas plants operational nearly?doubled during the first five month period of 2026. The so-called “uplift payments” rose to $1.1 billion from $531 million a few months earlier. PJM has said that it will work with state and federal officials to increase generation capacity, while balancing the addition of new data centres and other large loads on the system. This is done without unfairly affecting consumers. The grid operator said that "PJM has taken a series of coordinated actions in order to bring new resources on line faster, maintain reliability, while supporting economic growth and improve how we plan for growth demand." Analysts at global consultancy firm ICF said that PJM will not be able to meet new demand after next year. Analysts at global consulting firm ICF said that NYISO (the power grid operator of New York State) could face similar constraints in the next few years. According to PJM data, this week's heavy power-line congestion in Northern Virginia, the home of?the largest collection?of?data centers in the entire world, contributed to price spikes exceeding $2,000 per Megawatt Hour. These costs are not immediately reflected in the monthly bill for residential customers. If wholesale prices remain high for several months or even years, the electric utilities will cover these higher wholesale costs by increasing their retail rates and/or supply charges. According to the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 66% of U.S. consumers of electricity are exposed to power bought through wholesale markets. When the country's largest grid operator flags price spikes while also warning of record demand, it's a sign that homeowners cannot ignore, said Trevor Guilday. He is an expert in energy conservation and the founder of EcoGen America. Upgraded insulation, energy-efficient appliances or residential solar panels are no longer just "green" choices. These are practical financial defences against a grid under strain. (Reporting by Tim McLaughlin, Editing by Nick Zieminski).
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Rush for electric cars in response to Russian fuel crisis
In Moscow, a car dealership struggles to keep up with the demand for new electric vehicles. Drivers are looking to avoid a fuel crisis which has caused long queues and skyrocketing prices in much of Russia. In recent weeks, the escalating Ukrainian strikes against Russian energy infrastructure has caused gasoline and diesel to be scarce. This has led to restrictions in many regions. According to calculations, retail gasoline prices have reached some of the highest levels ever seen in Europe. The vast distances between cities in Russia, the harsh climate and the limited charging infrastructure have all contributed to the slow growth of its electric vehicle market. The rising cost of fuel is forcing some motorists to switch. EN Cars, a company that specializes in Chinese brands, sells two to three EVs a day. This is up from two to three a week just a few short weeks ago. Since the fuel situation has become complicated, demand?has increased many times," he said. He added that interest is increasing in both budget models and premium models. The showroom was filled with electric SUVs from the Chinese automaker Geely. Fuel prices were up by more than 12% between January and may, which was a good sign for EV demand. According to Autostat and the Ministry for Industry and Trade, the sales of plug-in hybrids increased 125% in the first five month of the year. Sales of fully electric cars also grew 19%, to 4,460. Fuel shortages accelerated sales in June. According to Autostat's Sergei Tselikov, last week 1,754 plug-in hybrids registered. This is nearly a third more than the previous week. It's also nearly 50% above the average weekly rate this year. According to 2GIS, the number of charging stations in Russia increased by 20% between July 2026 and now. Vasiliy, a customer in the dealership said that he was happy he had already purchased a hybrid car and an electric vehicle. He said, "Especially under the current circumstances, I haven't experienced any problems." "I live in an?individual house?on the countryside. I charge my e-bike at home using a?charging station that I installed. It is difficult to charge in Moscow. According to Autostat, EVs and hybrid plug-ins only accounted for 4.3% of Russia’s total vehicle sales in 2017. (Anastasia Lyrchikova contributed additional reporting. Writing by Alessandra Prentice. Mark Potter (editing)
Fuel costs are increasing, so airlines are reducing their prices and cutting back on their outlook.
The U.S. and Israeli war against Iran, which has pushed up jet fuel prices, has shook the aviation industry around the world. Airlines have been forced to increase fares and re-evaluate their financial forecasts.
In recent weeks, jet fuel prices have increased from $85-$90 per barrel up to $150-$200 per barrel. This is a major financial blow to an industry that relies on fuel for about a quarter or more of its operating costs.
Here is an alphabetical list of the ways airlines are responding to this issue:
AEGEAN AIRLINES
The Greek airline anticipates that the suspension of Middle East flights and the spike in fuel costs will have a "notable" impact on its first quarter results.
AIRASIA X
Malaysian Airlines executives announced that the company has cut 10% of its flights in the group and imposed a fuel surcharge of around 20%.
AIR FRANCE-KLM
The airline group?said that it planned to raise long-haul ticket fares to deal with surging fuel prices, and cabin?fares are set to rise by 58 euros (50 euros) per round trip.
AIR INDIA
The Indian flag carrier announced it would change its fuel surcharge system from a "flat domestic surcharge" to a grid based on distance. The airline said that surcharges for international routes do not compensate the steep rise in jet fuel costs.
AIR NEW ZEALAND On April 7, the airline announced that it would cut flights in May and June, and raise fares. It was one of the first airlines to announce a large increase in ticket prices after the conflict began. The airline also suspended its earnings forecast for the full year due to volatility in the fuel markets.
AKASA AIR
Akasa Airlines, based in India, announced that it would be introducing fuel surcharges ranging from 199 to 1,300 Indian Rupees ($2 - $14) for domestic and international flights.
ALASKA AIR
The U.S. carrier said that it would raise fees by $5 for the first bag and $10 for the second for flights in North America, as well for Hawaiian Airlines. The third checked bag was raised from $50 to 200 dollars.
AMERICAN AIRLINES
The U.S. carrier announced that it would increase the fees for checked baggage by $10 for each of the first two bags, and $150 for the third bag on short-haul and domestic international flights. The airline has also reduced certain benefits for passengers in economy class.
The fuel price increase was expected to cause a $400 million increase in the first quarter expenses.
CATHAY PACIFIC
Hong Kong Airlines announced that it will increase its fuel surcharges by 34% on all routes starting April 1, and to review them every 2 weeks. The CEO of the carrier said that it would maintain its flight capacity despite high fuel costs, but warned that its 10% growth plan for passenger capacity could be altered if demand drops due to high fuel prices.
CEBU AIR
The Philippines-based carrier said that the sharp increase in fuel prices is a major concern. It will continue to review pricing and network strategies and try to minimize the impact.
CHINA EASTERN EXPRESS AIRLINES
Air China said that it would increase fuel surcharges on domestic flights starting April 5. Flights of less than 800km will be charged a surcharge of 60 yuan, and flights over 800km will be charged a surcharge 120 yuan.
DELTA AIR LINES
Delta announced that it would reduce capacity by around 3.5 percent points from its initial plan, and increase fees for checked baggage in order to offset the rising costs of jet fuel. The price increase will be $10 for the first and second bags, and $50 on the third bag.
The U.S. carrier pulled all planned growth in capacity for the current quarter, and forecast profits below Wall Street expectations. Delta CEO stated that it would not update the full-year forecast due to uncertainty about how long fuel prices would continue.
EASYJET
EasyJet CEO Kentonjarvis says European consumers can expect to pay higher ticket prices at the end of summer when fuel hedges end.
FRONTIER AÉRIENS
Fuel prices have risen significantly since the airline's last forecast, prompting it to review its full-year outlook.
GREATER BAY Airlines
The Hong Kong-based firm said that it would increase fuel surcharges for most routes on April 1 while maintaining them at the same level on routes to mainland China and Japan.
The carrier has announced that the surcharge on flights between Hong Kong, Philippines and other destinations will be more than doubled.
HONG KONG Airlines
The airline announced that it would increase fuel surcharges up to 35% starting March 12. The biggest increases would be on flights between Hong Kong, Bangladesh, and Nepal where the charges would go from HK$284 to HK$384 (US$49).
British Airways' owner IAG stated on March 10, that it does not intend to increase ticket price immediately as it has hedged a large amount of fuel in the short to medium term.
INDIGO
India's largest airline announced that it will begin charging fuel fees on both domestic and international flights as of March 14. The charges include 900 rupees per flight to the Middle East, and 2,300 rupees per flight to Europe. Sources say that the company is lobbying for fuel tax reductions by the Indian government.
JETBLUE AERWAYS
Low-cost airline based in the United States has announced that it will increase fees for optional services, such as checked luggage, due to "rising operating expenses". The airline said that baggage prices would rise either by $4 or $9.
Sources with knowledge of this matter have confirmed that KOREAN Air will be in emergency mode as soon as April begins, due to the rising cost of oil. The airline will implement a phased response based on the oil price level and increase company-wide efficiency to offset rising fuel costs.
PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS
Fuel surcharges are cited as the reason for raising domestic fares up to $20, and international fares up to $100.
Scandinavian Airlines announced that it would cancel 1,00 flights in April due to high jet fuel and oil prices. In March, the airline had cancelled "a couple hundred" flights.
SAS, which has already raised flight prices, stated that the surge in fuel costs would be a major blow to the aviation sector, even if they tried to absorb them.
SPRING AIRLINES
Budget Chinese airline announced that it will increase fuel surcharges for domestic flights starting April 5. Details to be announced in due course.
SOUTHWEST SOUTHWEST SOUTHWEST SOUTHWEST SOUTHWEST SOUTHWEST SOUTHWAST AIRLINES
The American carrier announced that it would increase checked baggage fees by $10 per bag for the first one and the second. This will bring the cost to $45 and $55 respectively for the first bag.
The Portuguese airline claimed that its price increases would partially offset the impact of fuel prices changes on its revenues.
THAI AIRWAYS
The Thailand-based airline said that it would increase fares between 10% and 15% in order to combat rising fuel prices.
TURKISH AIRLINES LUFTHANSA
SunExpress, the joint venture between Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa and Lufthansa announced that it would be imposing a temporary fuel charge of 10 euros per person on routes between Turkey, Europe and Canada from May 1. The fuel surcharge will be applied to all bookings made after April 1, for departures after May 1.
Turkish Airlines announced on April 10, that it would not be distributing any dividends from its net profit for 2025, instead choosing to keep the earnings and preserve cash.
T'WAY AIR
South Korean low-cost carrier announced on April 13 that it will furlough cabin crew in May and/or June without pay as part of measures to combat the effects of the Middle East war.
UNITED AIRLINES
Scott Kirby, CEO of the U.S. carrier, said that the airline will cut unprofitable flights in the next two quarters to prepare for the oil price remaining above $100 by the end 2027.
Andrew Nocella, Chief Commercial Officer at United Airlines, said that the airline was able to raise fares in response to a rapid rise in jet fuel and oil prices.
In an email, the carrier said that it would also be increasing the first and second checked bags fees by $10 to customers traveling in Mexico, Canada, and Latin America.
VIETJET
A potential fuel shortage has led to the Vietnamese budget airline reducing flight frequencies on certain routes.
VIETNAM Airlines
Vietnam's Aviation Authority announced that the carrier will cancel 23 flights per day on domestic routes starting in April after it requested assistance from the government to remove an environment tax on jet fuel.
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA
Virgin Australia announced that it would be adjusting its fares in order to reflect the rising costs across the aviation industry, which were reportedly being exacerbated by the Middle East situation.
WESTJET
Canadian Press reported that the airline would add a fuel surcharge of C$60 ($43), and will combine some flights to reduce costs.
(source: Reuters)