Grid & AI power demand: The US Department of Energy pledged nearly $19B to modernize transmission and substations as data centers—especially AI clusters—push utilities toward multi-year connection delays. Hydropower & climate risk: Nepal is shifting from rescue to reconstruction after the Bhotekoshi–Trishuli–Narayani floods, with a damage bill of $2.7B and a higher recovery-and-rebuild estimate of $4.77B, while thousands remain missing and hydropower assets were hit. India pumped storage push: NTPC and EDF Power Solutions signed a 50:50 JV to develop pumped storage, hydropower, and other low-carbon flexibility projects across India and neighbors. Solar policy in South Asia: Sri Lanka’s energy minister denied plans to curb rooftop solar, citing recent grid additions and more capacity targets through 2029. Renewables financing in Africa: Zambia’s Maamba Solar began feeding power into the national grid, and Mercuria backed Southern/Eastern Africa generation and transmission with a $250M deal. Energy access & tech: Uganda rolled out automated voice calls to help monitor cancer patients between treatments, using phone-based follow-ups without smartphones.