A Conservative Energy Network survey indicates that most Americans support expanding the power grid and adding transmission lines for clean energy and reliability. The poll shows that nearly 90% of respondents are concerned about rising energy costs, driven by increased power demand from data centers and electrification. However, the Trump administration's actions, such as canceling a loan guarantee for the Grain Belt Express transmission project, have hindered grid expansion.

PJM Interconnection has proposed a policy to address grid reliability threats posed by large AI data centers. The policy would prioritize cutting power to these centers during emergencies before resorting to rolling blackouts. The Natural Resources Defense Council has expressed concern that the policy fails to address rising electricity costs, noting that electricity costs in the region are up $12 billion this year alone.

California lawmakers have approved a suite of measures to address rising electricity costs, including short-term relief for summer bills and public financing for transmission projects. Senate Bill 254, part of a broader energy and climate package, aims to contain costs for major utilities such as Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric by limiting profits on wildfire-related upgrades and introducing securitization of grid investments.

Driven by the surging energy needs of AI and data centers, Big Tech companies like Google and Microsoft are investing in nuclear fusion developers such as Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Helion Energy and TAE Technologies. This influx of capital and long-term partnerships is accelerating the sector's growth, enabling developers to advance their technology and move closer to commercial deployment.

Three fusion reactor designs -- inertial confinement, stellarators and tokamaks -- are being tested as potential sources of renewable energy. The National Ignition Facility has demonstrated the use of lasers for fusion, while the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor and Wendelstein 7-X use magnetic fields to confine plasma. Each design faces challenges, such as maintaining the necessary conditions for fusion and managing plasma turbulence, but recent experiments have shown significant progress.

A storm followed by a loss of power and heavy winds are being blamed for bending a wind turbine blade in half at the 145-megawatt Flyers Creek Wind Farm in New South Wales, Australia. Developed by Iberdrola and operational since April, the project features blades by GE Vernova.

The Trump administration is "actively attempt[ing] to slow down the pace of the energy transition in every way that they can," including by "bullying" countries into abandoning climate policies by tying them to trade deals, says former Vice President Al Gore. The situation is fueling greenhushing, but President Donald Trump's tactics probably won't work for long because most countries will press ahead with climate action regardless, says Gore. "The market forces that have been unleashed, especially in the last 10 years since the Paris agreement, are the most powerful agents of change."

A report from GlobalData indicates that the anti-environmental, social and governance movement has gained momentum globally since originating in the US in 2021, with financial institutions as primary targets. The movement intensified after President Donald Trump's reelection in 2024, with companies across industries now affected. GlobalData advises companies to align ESG policies with business objectives to navigate the legal complexities of the anti-ESG movement.