Battery & grid reliability deals: Nextpower agreed to buy Prevalon Energy to expand into BESS and intelligent controls, lifting its FY2027 outlook; South Australia also approved six new grid-scale battery projects under its FERM scheme, doubling storage to 2.5 GW to cut heatwave price spikes. Energy policy & affordability: Australia’s AER set 2026-27 default electricity offers, with NSW and Queensland seeing drops for most households (SA mixed); Nevada’s court dismissed Vote Solar’s challenge to NV Energy’s demand charge and net metering changes, though an appeal is planned. Energy security cooperation: Japan pledged JPY90.1m via APEC to boost clean, resilient energy and efficiency; Moldova and the U.S. discussed energy security and interconnection to the EU grid. Transition pressure from AI/data centers: APEPDCL reported a sharp May surge in electricity demand in Andhra Pradesh as air-conditioning spreads; in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, tribes and groups protested a pumped-hydro storage project tied to growing data center demand. Renewables on the ground: Victoria declared its first renewable energy zones, including areas north of Stawell and a Gippsland Shoreline zone for offshore wind cables; Cuba accelerated solar support for hospitals amid its energy crisis. Nuclear & long-term fuel cycle: A U.S. startup and Argonne plan to commercialize pyroprocessing to recycle spent nuclear fuel for fast reactors.