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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)
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ETG, a global commodities company, enters Brazil through the Tocantins Fertilizer project
VLI announced on Thursday that global commodities company ETG would install a fertilizer facility at its 'logistics complex' in Palmeirante (Tocantins), marking the entry of the company into Brazil. * ETG will invest?26 millions reais ($4.3million) in the facility that is connected to the North-South Railway. The plant has a?capacity of?up 200,000 tonnes?of fertilizer per year and storage capacity for 45,000 tons. Construction will begin in August and operations are expected to start in February 2027. * The facility is designed to serve agricultural producers in Tocantins, as well as those from neighboring states such Maranhao and Piaui. It will receive imported fertilizers through Itaqui Port in Maranhao using VLI’s logistics corridor, which is scheduled to be inaugurated in 2020. * The majority of fertilizer consumed in Brazil is imported. Reporting by Roberto Samora, Writing by Isabel Teles
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Sources say that refinery problems caused Russia's west oil exports to reach a record high in June.
Three?trade-and-industry sources? said on?Thursday that oil shipments from Russia’s western ports reached a record in 'June, and they are expected to continue at this level in 'July. This is because ongoing drone attacks against domestic refineries will force Moscow to increase crude exports. According to sources, exports from the Baltic port of Primorsk, Ust-Luga and the Black Sea Port of Novorossiysk amounted to nearly 3,000,000 barrels of oil per day in the month of June. The?sources stated that loadings will be close to 3,000,000 bpd in this month. They added that the capacity of the seaports limits the shipments and they could 'be revised because of weather conditions or other factors. "July is likely to be the same as June." Drone strikes and uncertainty have caused a number of revisions to preliminary?export plans. In order to maintain production, Russia had to increase its crude oil exports due to the Ukrainian drone attacks that damaged Russian refinery capacity. Exports to the west ports in May rose from 2.2m bpd. The price of Russia's Urals crude is being affected by record oil exports. The price differentials of Urals crude for delivery to India this August are at their lowest level since late February, due to the abundance of supply and increased competition. In June, Alexander Novak, the Deputy Prime Minister, said that the Russian oil production had fallen since the beginning of the year. He blamed the drop on unplanned maintenance?at refineries. Sources said that the Ukrainian attacks will continue to increase uncertainty among oil market participants. The strikes caused a fuel shortage in Russia, which forced one of the world's largest fuel exporters - usually Russia - to import gasoline from abroad. Fuel shortages have been felt in all 11 time zones of Russia, with long queues at filling stations, rationing and record increases in gasoline prices. Four industry sources confirmed on Wednesday that Kazakhstan had agreed to provide 50,000 metric tonnes of gasoline as humanitarian assistance to Russia between July and August.
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A source says that the oil production of Karachaganak in Kazakhstan has been restored.
An industry source said that oil production has been restored at the Karachaganak gas field in Kazakhstan, amid increasing natural gas production and increasing supplies to the Russian gas plant just across the border. After the drone attack by Ukraine on Orenburg's gas processing plant on June 24, Kazakhstan cut?gas production? at its Karachaganak Oil and Gas Condensate Field. The oil and gas output of Karachaganak is closely related, so the field cannot produce much if its production of gas is low. In an emailed comment, the?ministry said that gas supplies had already resumed on?June 26 and were flowing at 290,000. cubic metres per hours, which was?still lower than normal volumes. Erlan Akkenzhenov, Kazakhstan's Minister of Energy, said on Thursday that gas supplies are 28% below normal levels. Raw gas is delivered to Orenburg from Karachaganak by Chevron, Shell and other investors. Sources said that oil production in the field had increased by 1 July to 33,000 metric tons per day or 259,100 barrels a day. The total for June was 976,500 tonnes, which is below the planned 984,000 tons. The Energy Ministry did not respond to a question about oil production at Karachaganak. Last October, the plant was also attacked. Karachaganak shareholders include Eni of Italy, Lukoil of Russia, and the local firm KazMunayGas. Ukraine's campaign of drone strikes against Russian energy sites aims to "weaken" a major source of military funding and bring the conflict closer to Russians. Vladimir Putin said that such attacks on civil infrastructure were intended to create discord in the population. (Reporting and Editing by William Maclean).
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Two Belarusian tourists are injured by a Ukrainian drone while travelling in Russia
Two people were injured by a Ukrainian drone attack on a bus travelling from Minsk, the Belarusian capital, to the Russian Black Sea resort town of Anapa. This was reported in Russian state media. Sputnik Belarus reported that the government of the Bryansk region in Russia, near the border with Ukraine and Belarus, said two drivers were injured in the attack, which took place at the Krasniy kamen border crossing. Andriy kovalenko, the head of Ukraine's Centre for Countering Disinformation, a branch of the National Security Council (NSC), denied that Kyiv attacked the bus. He called the?Russian claims "provocations" as well as a false flag operation. Bryansk, and the nearby?Kursk area, are regularly shelled by?Ukrainian forces. This results in local residents being injured or killed and infrastructure damage. Russia has accused Ukraine of a drone attack that killed Belarusian children on a school bus in a separate incident last month in the Bryansk region. Ukraine's military has denied that the bus was attacked. The bus was carrying members of a youth football?team traveling from Belarus to southern Russia. Since the beginning of its war with Ukraine, in February 2022, Russia has systematically?hit Ukrainian cities and towns such as Kyiv. Both Russia and Ukraine deny that they strike civilian targets. Kyiv increased drone attacks on Russia over the past few months in an effort to "weaken Moscow's economic power" and force a halt to a war that has killed thousands of Ukrainians. (Reporting and Writing by Lucy Papachristou; Editing by William Maclean & Gareth Jones)
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Sources claim that NATO is planning to replace AWACS jets with Saab GlobalEye aircraft
Four sources with knowledge of the matter have confirmed that NATO is planning to replace its aging AWACS fleet with GlobalEye aircraft from Sweden's Saab. This move could put President Donald Trump on edge. Trump has repeatedly threatened NATO's dissolution, accusing European countries of a free ride by leaving it to the U.S. Sources?said NATO would announce its GlobalEye plans at a meeting with its members on 7 and 8 July in the Turkish capital Ankara. NATO has not responded to our request for comment. Saab declined to comment. Since 1982, NATO has been able to keep an eye on the skies with its 14 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) jets. These aircraft look like radar towers in flight thanks to their distinct nine-metre wide radomes. The AWACS aircraft, based at the?Geilenkirchen Airbase in Germany has been extensively used by NATO for surveillance missions along NATO's eastern flank ever since Russia began its war in Ukraine. Sources said that under the replacement plan the base could eventually be home to the largest fleet of GlobalEye spy jets in the world. The system was first flown in 2018 and is based on Bombardier's Global 6500 business aircraft. GlobalEye competes with Boeing's E-7 Wedgetail early warning and control?aircraft based on the 737-800 jetliner, designed to oversee and guide battle. NATO's initial plan to purchase six Boeing E-7 planes was abandoned in 2025 after the Pentagon, its largest customer, decided to abandon plans to buy 26 and instead rely on satellites. Under pressure from U.S. Defense Secretary Pete 'Hegseth, however, told a Congressional committee?in may that the Pentagon was pushing to include the plane in the budget. (Reporting and editing by Barbara Lewis, Joe Bavier and Simon Johnson. Additional reporting by Sabine Siebold.
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Two Belarusian tourists are injured by a Ukrainian drone while travelling in Russia
Russian state media reported that a Ukrainian drone attacked two people on a bus travelling from Minsk, the Belarusian capital, to Anapa, a resort town near the Black Sea in Russia. Sputnik Belarus reported that the government of the Bryansk region in Russia, near the border with Belarus and Ukraine, said two drivers were injured, but only slightly, during the attack. The incident occurred at the Krasniy kamen border crossing between Russia and Belarus. Ukraine has not yet responded to the question. The Ukrainians regularly shell Bryansk, and the nearby region of Kursk. This results in?injuries and deaths among local residents as well as?damage done to local infrastructure. Russia has accused Ukraine of a drone attack that killed a Belarusian student bus in a separate incident last month in the Bryansk area. Ukraine's military has denied that the bus was attacked. The bus was transporting a youth soccer squad from Belarus into southern Russia. Since the beginning of its war with Ukraine, in February 2022, Russia has regularly?hit Ukrainian towns and cities like Kyiv. Both Russia and Ukraine deny that they are striking civilian targets. Kyiv increased drone attacks on Russia over the past few months in an effort to 'weaken Moscow's economic power?and bring a halt to a war that has killed thousands of Ukrainian civilians. (Reporting and Writing by Lucy Papachristou; Editing by William Maclean).
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)
(source: Reuters)