electricity

Thousands of customers in Schererville were without power again on Thursday. The power service was interrupted after some residents had reported that their electricity had only been restored for a few hours.

NIPSCO stated that parts of Northwest Indiana will remain without power until next week. Crews are working to restore service, but officials advised that some communities anticipate being without electricity for several more days.

More than two-thirds of the electricity sought for the artificial intelligence boom in the US may never materialize. This shortfall is attributed to "phantom" projects and various long-shot pitches.

Pasadena Water and Power issued a fraud advisory warning customers about scam calls that are impersonating utility employees. These callers demand immediate payment and threaten to cut off water or electricity within 30 minutes, but PWP warns that these threats constitute a scam.

The dwindling Colorado River threatens reduced availability of both water and electricity in the Western U.S. While the federal government developed a plan to manage the river's water, critics warn that deep cuts to water usage could be harmful.

The South-south region has not implemented key constitutional amendments on local government autonomy, electricity, and police. In Akwa Ibom State, the governor controls funds intended for local councils, according to the NLC chairman.

Illegal cryptocurrency miners in Southeast Asia are stealing large amounts of electricity, causing strain on national grids and revealing connections to organized crime.

Hong Kong is developing its first Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) aligned with the national 15th Five-Year Plan, focusing on how to power its next development phase. Joseph Law of CLP Power Hong Kong argues electricity should be central to economic strategy, moving beyond its role as a utility.

In 1746, a French physicist conducted an experiment involving monks to determine the speed of electricity, concluding it moved at 'infinite speed.' This conclusion was later proven incorrect, and it took decades to understand the actual speed and nature of electricity.

The European Commission has set a target to increase electricity consumption to 46% of all energy use by 2040, aiming to enhance energy security, reduce fossil fuel imports, and lower energy costs. The Electrification Action Plan highlights opportunities for economic resilience and competitiveness through investments in infrastructure, AI, data centers, and electrified transport.

President Trump ran on a pledge to bring down energy costs, but a year and a half into his second term, prices of both gasoline and electricity are rising. While he was on the campaign trail, Trump promised to cut power prices by 50 percent.

The IMF reports that AI could boost Sub-Saharan Africa's economic output by 4% over the next decade, but this requires significant investments in electricity, internet connectivity, and digital skills. The analysis highlights infrastructure and skill development as critical enablers for AI adoption in the region.

Sudan's peace process has not kept pace with battlefield changes in the country's three-year war. The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) regained Khartoum and control over much of northern, eastern, and central Sudan, while fighting intensified in Darfur, Kordofan, and Blue Nile. Over 2 million displaced people have returned to Khartoum, but electricity remains limited.

The 2026 Nexus Technology Cup is accepting applications for a $150,000 competition in Louisiana. Delfin LNG has advanced its $24 billion project with Siemens Energy for a second floating LNG vessel. U.S. data centers are projected to consume 20% of national electricity by 2035 due to AI growth, risking a 19-gigawatt power shortfall.

Iran has acknowledged for the first time that there have been attacks on its power infrastructure. The country is also urging people to reduce their electricity consumption.

The expansion of AI technology is contributing to inflation as consumers face higher prices for laptops and electricity. This development poses a new challenge for American consumers and the Federal Reserve.

Damascus residents report recent improvements in state-supplied electricity but express concerns over high energy costs. Syria's power situation shows progress but remains financially challenging for users.

Russia launched overnight drone attacks on Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, and the Chernihiv region in Ukraine, damaging transport infrastructure, injuring civilians, and causing electricity outages for nearly 69,000 consumers.

Irish data centers now consume 23% of the country's electricity, highlighting a significant increase in energy usage. The article references a report from The Register and Hacker News discussions on the topic.

The article argues that the U.S. is focusing on short-term AI technology benchmarks while China is building a comprehensive AI ecosystem through energy infrastructure, semiconductor production (e.g., Huawei's Ascend processors), and computing systems. It highlights the AI Power Stack as a framework where energy, semiconductors, and infrastructure collectively determine technological dominance.

The Pasadena Planning Commission expressed concerns about power and water demands from data centers during a July 8 study session, citing a 10-megawatt facility's potential to consume electricity equivalent to 8,000 households and 40 acre-feet of water annually. A public comment highlighted an Amazon-linked property near Eaton Wash, prompting discussion on zoning definitions for data centers.

The AI competition between the US and China is shifting toward a contest over electricity output and pricing, as AI models become commoditized and their costs increasingly depend on energy. Open-source AI models are rapidly emerging in China, while the American AI community has raised arguments (content cut off).

The AI boom is causing inflation concerns as strong demand for AI infrastructure drives up prices for technology products and electricity, complicating the Federal Reserve's next interest rate decision.

Harvard scientists developed a silicon chip capable of writing multiple DNA sequences simultaneously using electricity and water-based enzymes. This method offers a cleaner alternative to traditional DNA manufacturing and could enable portable DNA-writing devices and large-scale DNA data storage, though scaling requires new chemistry.

The Federal Reserve's rate-setting committee kept its key interest rate unchanged but remained divided over whether inflation will stay high or decline. Officials debated the impact of AI investments on technology prices and inflation, with half of policymakers supporting a rate hike by year-end and half opposing it. New chair Kevin Warsh emphasized returning inflation to the 2% target but did not submit a forecast.

Thousands remain without electricity after Friday's storms, with residents in a Livonia neighborhood using generators to power their homes.

Robert Gumede plans to convert sugar producer Tongaat Hulett into an energy business producing electricity, ethanol, and industrial gas from cane.

Governor Kathy Hochul urges New Yorkers to conserve electricity amid a prolonged heat wave while emphasizing that safety remains the top priority.

California is developing a futuristic supercity designed to address the housing crisis by integrating homes, a college, and job opportunities in an electricity-powered community.

Citizens in four Akwa Ibom local governments demanded improved public services, including roads, healthcare, and electricity, during town hall meetings. The gatherings highlighted governance deficits and years of neglected infrastructure.

Approximately 5.3 million British households on standard tariffs without smart meters may face overcharging for June energy usage if they do not submit meter readings before the energy price cap rises. Action is urged to avoid higher bills under the new gas and electricity unit rates.

Phone chargers may consume electricity even when not actively charging devices, leading to higher costs for households with multiple chargers. This phenomenon results in increased electricity bills for homes with numerous chargers, regardless of their usage.

Kerala is experiencing power cuts due to a shortage of electricity supplied from other States. Electricity is available at 45 paise per unit during the day but unavailable at night, despite the government being ready to purchase it at ₹10 per unit.

Britain’s grid operator has called for increased electricity supply due to rising temperatures. Extreme heat has led to higher power demand and reduced solar panel efficiency.

Ahmed Abu Artema recounts surviving the genocide in Gaza and how daily life in exile still reflects trauma from years of siege, occupation, and resource scarcity. He describes compulsions like overcharging phones and contrasts Gaza's electricity shortages with Europe's abundance, while noting parallels to historical trauma, such as a Dutch woman's food hoarding linked to WWII famine.

Data centres consume significant amounts of water and electricity, and they contribute to environmental heating, according to a study. The article highlights the heat production and locations of AI data centres.

The COP31 Presidency has proposed a global target to increase electricity's share in final energy demand from over 20% to 35% by 2035. The initiative aims to boost the role of electricity in meeting global energy needs.

Skagit County has implemented a moratorium on new data centers, citing their high consumption of electricity, water, and land. Officials noted that these concerns are increasingly prevalent nationwide.

The AI boom is driving companies across industries into the energy sector, with electricity becoming a strategic asset. Ford, Bloom Energy, Fervo Energy, and GE Vernova are expanding energy storage and infrastructure amid rising demand, though challenges like project cancellations and oversaturation pose risks.

Large exchanges are designing derivative products around AI tokens, which are increasingly being considered less a computational output and more a raw material input, like electricity or bandwidth.