power grid

A 60 Minutes report examines how the race to build artificial intelligence is driving a rapid expansion of data centers across the United States, and the growing resistance from communities where the facilities are being built. Residents have raised concerns over energy demands, water use, noise and strain on local power grids, turning data center approvals into a contested political issue in towns across the country.

A commission says it will examine the strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure and assess corresponding vulnerabilities in the United States power grid. The move links the war in Ukraine to concerns about the resilience of American energy systems, with officials expected to review what the attacks reveal about risks to critical infrastructure and how similar threats could be addressed at home.

A new 60 Minutes report highlights growing opposition to data centers across the United States, with residents from across the political spectrum joining forces to resist large-scale construction projects in their communities. Concerns cited include strain on power grids and water supplies, noise, and the impact on farmland and neighborhoods, making the issue an unusual point of bipartisan agreement.

New figures show the world added around 690 gigawatts of solar power capacity in 2025, according to reporting by pv magazine. The total underscores the continued rapid expansion of solar energy worldwide, as installations keep outpacing forecasts driven by falling costs and strong demand in major markets. Industry observers are weighing what the record-scale buildout means for grids, fossil fuel demand and global climate targets.

As solar and wind replace conventional power plants, grids lose the natural inertia that traditionally kept frequency stable, raising concerns about blackout risks. UK-based Reactive Technologies is addressing this by sending sonar-like pulses through the grid to measure live inertia directly, revealing risks that standard models miss. The company has received €19 million in backing from the European Investment Bank to expand the approach.

Red Bull is holding off on any decision about a possible grid penalty for Max Verstappen until it completes an analysis of his car's engine. The team is assessing the power unit issue before determining whether components must be changed, which would trigger a penalty. The situation matters for the championship fight, as a grid drop would affect Verstappen's race prospects.

A solar eruption has raised concerns that a solar storm could reach Earth around October 2. Brazilian outlets report the event may affect satellite communications, GPS signals and power grids, and could produce auroras visible at lower latitudes than usual. Space weather agencies are monitoring the eruption's trajectory to determine how strong the impact on the planet will be.

Analysts are warning that solar storms pose a serious risk to power grids and digital infrastructure worldwide. A major solar event, similar to historic geomagnetic storms, could damage transformers, knock out electricity for extended periods, and disrupt satellites, communications and internet networks. The discussion highlights gaps in preparedness and calls for stronger protections and forecasting of space weather.

A snake-shaped robot is now patrolling 10-kilovolt power lines in Kunming, in southwest China. Developed by the Kunming Power Supply Bureau of China Southern Power Grid, the robot navigates obstacles autonomously and uses infrared, thermal imaging, and laser sensors to detect potential faults on the lines, reducing the need for workers to inspect high-voltage equipment manually.

The power industry is turning its attention to a new scale of electricity demand: not just data centers, but so-called AI factories that consume far more power and connect differently to the grid. Utilities are being urged to plan ahead for this next wave of load growth, with questions raised about infrastructure investment, grid capacity and how to serve these massive facilities.

India is depending heavily on coal-fired power stations after a poor monsoon left hydropower output below seasonal norms. Coal stockpiles are falling quickly to a five-year low measured in days of cover, prompting the government in New Delhi to invoke emergency rules to keep more coal plants running and secure fuel supplies for the grid.

New rules in Germany would allow home battery storage to also charge from the grid while owners keep their EEG feed-in compensation. Currently, storage systems that draw grid power risk losing EEG support, which has held back so-called bidirectional charging. Allowing both could make home batteries more useful for balancing the grid and cutting costs, and energy industry observers are discussing what the change means for solar households.

Researchers behind a new study are pushing back at critics, saying their analysis did not ignore grid costs but directly measured them. They report that utility-scale solar power reduces overall grid costs rather than raising them. The response comes amid ongoing debate over how large-scale solar affects electricity rates and infrastructure spending.

Los Angeles is facing an unusually hot October, with local outlet LAist warning that the heat is expected to persist for an extended period. Residents are being told to prepare for above-normal temperatures lasting well beyond a brief spike, raising concerns about health impacts, fire risk and strain on the power grid across Southern California.