Skip to content
voltsdaily

Thursday, 23 July 2026

84 briefs so farlast update 17:39 UTC

Key points

  • Trump Clears Saudi Civil Nuclear Program With Enrichment Path, Semafor Reports.
  • US and Saudi Arabia Sign Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation Agreement.
  • QatarEnergy Extends LNG Force Majeure to Mid-September for South Korea and India Buyers.
  • Brent Tops $98 After Houthi Strikes Hit Two Saudi Ships in Red Sea.
All sectionsMarketsPolicy & GeopoliticsClimateRenewablesGrid & StorageOil & GasGenerationAI & EnergyTransport

AI & Energy

US DOE Selects First 278 Genesis Mission Awards, Led by $60 Million Nuclear AI Project

The U.S. Department of Energy has selected the first projects under the Genesis Mission Request for Applications, part of President Trump's Genesis Mission, according to the DOE. The selections total 278 awards, with the largest a three-year, $60 million investment in nuclear energy.

That nuclear project will use AI to help deliver nuclear facilities faster and safer while cutting operating costs, according to the DOE.

Of the 278 awards, 87 are led by DOE and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) National Laboratories, 168 by universities, 19 by companies, and 4 by nonprofit organizations, the DOE said.

The selected work spans nuclear energy, critical mineral extraction, intelligent chip design, and commercial fusion energy, according to the DOE.

Across the awards, 342 institutions are participating: 16 DOE and NNSA National Laboratories, 142 universities, 157 companies, 13 nonprofit organizations, and 14 other institutions, the DOE said.

The DOE said the Genesis Mission RFA generated the largest response to a funding opportunity in its history.

"The 278 projects selected today represent the very best of our nation's scientific enterprise," said Secretary of Energy Chris Wright.

Source: energy.gov (opens in a new tab)1 sourcePermalink

AI & Energy

OpenAI Announces First Self-Designed Data Center as US Opposition Grows

OpenAI announced its first data center in which it is the lead developer and designer, according to Semafor Net Zero.

The announcement lands as public sentiment shifts against the facilities. A new Politico poll found more Americans now oppose nearby data centers than support them, a reversal from six months ago, Semafor reported.

New York recently enacted the country's first statewide moratorium on data center facilities, according to Semafor.

A Republican senator told Semafor that his constituents in Kansas are opposed to data centers.

Source: semafor.com (opens in a new tab)1 sourcePermalink

AI & Energy

Alphabet Free Cash Flow Turns Negative After AI Spending Rises to USD 205 Billion

Alphabet's free cash flow turned negative for the first time in its 22 years as a public company, according to Semafor Net Zero. Shares fell 7% after the company raised its artificial intelligence (AI) spending for the third time this year, to USD 205 billion, per Semafor Net Zero.

The company bought back zero shares for the second straight quarter, according to Semafor Net Zero. It also has a pending USD 40 billion share offering, which the outlet said will put further pressure on the stock price.

Chief Financial Officer Anat Ashkenazi said the company's 2027 capital expenditure will increase significantly and continue to put pressure on profits, according to Semafor Net Zero.

Semafor Net Zero reported that Meta is hustling to launch its own cloud business.

Source: semafor.com (opens in a new tab)1 sourcePermalink

Interior of a large data center with long rows of server racks and overhead cabling illustrating heavy AI infrastructure spending.
Photo: Rsparks3 / Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab)

AI & Energy

More Utilities and Tech Firms to Join Ratepayer Cost Pledge, CleanTechnica Reports

More utility and technology companies will sign onto a nonbinding pledge to keep electricity costs down and shield ratepayers from bills driven by data center energy demands, according to reporting cited by CleanTechnica.

The commitment is aimed at protecting ratepayers from bills tied to the energy demands of data centers.

Despite what is written in the pledge, there has been minimal tangible progress made to address the impact, CleanTechnica reports.

Source: cleantechnica.com (opens in a new tab)1 sourcePermalink