International
US Energy News
US Oil and Refined Products Inventories Down
U.S. commercial crude oil inventories rose last week, but Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) draws and sharp declines in key refined products left overall oil and product stocks tighter, according to the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Weekly Petroleum Status Report released today for the week ending July 31, 2026. Key Inventory Highlights (Week Ending July 31, […]
Finance
Electrical Generation / Utilities
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has directed a halt on new data center connections to the ERCOT grid pending a comprehensive audit of their energy use, water consumption, financing, ownership, and community impacts.
This action, announced August 3, 2026, comes roughly three weeks after New York became the first state to impose a temporary statewide moratorium on new hyperscale data centers. It applies to projects seeking to interconnect with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) system and pauses related transmission planning work, including the “Batch Zero” study. […]
China Approves Eight New Nuclear Plants, Including Four With Hualong One 2.0 Tech
China’s State Council approved the construction of eight new nuclear reactor units on July 31, 2026, during an executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Qiang. The projects, spanning four provinces, represent a total investment exceeding 170 billion yuan (approximately $25 billion) and continue the country’s aggressive expansion of nuclear capacity as a cornerstone of its […]
AI / Data Center
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has directed a halt on new data center connections to the ERCOT grid pending a comprehensive audit of their energy use, water consumption, financing, ownership, and community impacts.
This action, announced August 3, 2026, comes roughly three weeks after New York became the first state to impose a temporary statewide moratorium on new hyperscale data centers. It applies to projects seeking to interconnect with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) system and pauses related transmission planning work, including the “Batch Zero” study. […]
EQT Announces Raised Guidance and Strong Earnings: The Future Is Bright
EQT Corporation (NYSE: EQT), the largest natural gas producer in the United States, delivered a standout second quarter of 2026 and raised full-year production guidance, underscoring the strength of its low-cost model and positioning the company at the center of growing domestic and global natural gas demand. On July 21, 2026, EQT reported sales volumes […]
Data Center Alley Crisis Averted, But Sends A Huge Warning
Hat Tip to NBC4 Washington and the LinkedIn post by Bethany Boo, which highlighted the story. We covered this on the Energy News Beat Substack. Just before 8 a.m. on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, electricity flickered on and off for roughly 10 minutes across a vast stretch of the eastern United States—from Chicago to Boston […]
Over 100°F Heat Adding Stress to the AI-laden Grid
Back-to-back heat waves sweeping the United States are pushing electricity grids to a tipping point, as temperatures topping 100°F (38°C) drive households to max out air conditioners while a surge in around-the-clock demand from AI data centers and factories shrinks power reserves and strains decades-old transmission equipment. This is emerging as the new normal for […]
LNG Supply Crisis Pushes Buyers Toward Coal, Natural Gas, and Oil: Energy Security Takes Center Stage
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East, including disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz and damage to key Qatari LNG infrastructure, has triggered a sharp global LNG supply crunch. This is forcing buyers in Europe and Asia to pivot aggressively toward coal, oil products (such as fuel oil, naphtha, and propane), and alternative natural gas […]













































