Saturday, 7 November 2026

The Railroad Commission of Texas will hold a public hearing on Nov. 20 to take comments on proposed rule amendments implementing Senate Bill 1150, according to World Oil. The 2025 law established new deadlines for operators to plug or reactivate inactive wells in the state.

The proposed amendments would change commission rules covering surface equipment removal, inactive wells, certificates of compliance, transportation authority, and operator reports, World Oil reported.

The hearing will take place at the commission's Austin headquarters and online through Zoom.

Democrats will hold three of the five seats on the Georgia Public Service Commission starting in January, according to Grist. The shift gives the party control of the state's energy regulation board for the first time in 30 years.

Georgia Democrats plan to use their new majority to focus the commission on affordability, clean energy, and closer scrutiny of Georgia Power, Grist reported.

Peru's President Keiko Fujimori signed a regional agreement with Argentina, Bolivia and Chile to deepen cooperation and investment in transition minerals, according to Mongabay.

Activists fear Peru's energy transition could accelerate lithium and uranium projects near the Quelccaya glacier, Mongabay reported. The glacier is a vital source of fresh water for much of the country.

Scientists say the Falchani, Macusani and Quelcaya projects, all owned by Canadian firm American Lithium, could accelerate climate change effects on the already disappearing glacier, according to Mongabay.

American Lithium's published economic assessments have described the Falchani project as "highly amenable" to open-pit mining, Mongabay reported. Activists fear such operations would discharge large quantities of metal-rich dust onto the Quelccaya glacier.

Economic Commission for Africa Executive Secretary Claver Gatete said in Kigali, Rwanda, that Africa must urgently close its electricity gap to industrialize, expand regional value chains and deliver on the African Continental Free Trade Area's promise, according to Africa Science News.

Nearly 600 million Africans lack electricity access, including about 400 million people in rural communities beyond the reach of existing grids, the report stated. Gatete said nuclear energy should be considered as part of Africa's diversified clean energy mix.

Separately, the African Union launched a Continental Energy Security Policy Framework at the 36th African Hydro Symposium in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, according to China Daily. The framework provides a common strategy for addressing energy challenges - including infrastructure deficits, climate risks, market volatility and rising demand - while promoting reliable, affordable and sustainable energy supplies.

Senegal secured USD 1.7 billion in financing commitments to achieve universal electricity access by 2029, according to Channel Africa.

Private companies committed USD 1.4 billion and development partners pledged USD 320 million for new projects at a national financing roundtable in Dakar, Channel Africa reported.

The commitments exceed the estimated USD 700 million needed to connect 6,471 Senegalese localities not already covered by existing electrification projects.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney plans to increase government borrowing and channel higher tax revenue into expanding the country's productive capacity, according to Bloomberg Law.

The budget outlined billions in industrial spending on Canada's electricity grid, nuclear plants, mining and forestry, Bloomberg Law reported. It also included a capital-gains tax break for some entrepreneurs and investors in smaller companies.

Lawyers for Burevestmarin LLC have accused U.S. authorities of selling a seized Russian oil tanker to a maritime scrap dealer in what they called an "economically irrational" deal designed to prevent the owner from recovering the vessel, according to NBC News.

The company's lawyers argued in court papers that the USD 9.1 million sale price was significantly below the tanker's market value, according to Archyde. The vessel in question is the Bella 1.

The legal filing alleges the U.S. government deliberately arranged the below-value transaction to thwart Burevestmarin's bid to reclaim the ship, NBC News reported.

A forum in Kentucky addressed electricity bills, rates and local initiatives that could affect utilities, aiming to provide clear and reliable information to attendees, according to WKYT.

Jenna Rector of Bluegrass Greensource said Kentucky is trending back toward greater coal use while using coal in new ways. Rector also said finding renewable energy sources is a priority.

Canada's federal budget allocates $50 billion for a clean electricity grid, released alongside an update to the National Energy Strategy (NES), according to The Energy Mix.

The budget places electrification at the centre of federal decarbonization goals and frames heat pumps and building retrofits as part of a broader affordability strategy, The Energy Mix reported. The document combines past announcements with new funding under a theme of Canadian sovereignty and self-sufficiency.

A $2 billion National Heat Pump Rebate will cover installations in up to 820,000 homes, with projected savings of $1 billion per year on heating and cooling, according to The Energy Mix. The programme aims to bring the total number of heat pumps across Canada to just over 1.1 million by 2034.

U.S. solar equipment inventories expanded by 126% in the second quarter of 2026 as project developers accelerated procurement to clear a series of federal trade cutoffs, according to pv magazine.

Attention has now shifted to Dec. 4, when new Section 232 measures take effect covering polysilicon, wafers, cells, and modules. The proclamation sets minimum import price thresholds of USD 0.22 per watt for solar cells and USD 0.38 per watt for finished modules.

To manage the regulatory volatility, OCI Energy uses collaborative contract structures that distribute policy risk among project sponsors, equipment vendors, EPC contractors, lenders, and off-takers, pv magazine reported.

The EU Council agreed its position on targeted amendments to the bloc's methane regulation, pushing back fossil fuel import monitoring obligations by one year to ease energy security concerns linked to Middle East conflict, according to the Council of the European Union.

Monitoring, reporting and verification obligations for EU importers of natural gas, crude oil and coal would apply from January 1, 2028, instead of the previously scheduled January 1, 2027, the Council stated.

Two further deadlines shift by the same margin. Methane-intensity reporting for importers and EU producers would apply from August 5, 2029, rather than August 5, 2028. Maximum methane-intensity levels for both groups would apply from August 5, 2031, rather than August 5, 2030.

The Council framed the postponement as a response to disruption in energy markets caused by the conflict in the Middle East, aiming to avoid placing additional pressure on the EU's security of supply.

The Trump administration broadened sanctions on Cuba's maritime and energy sectors, designating five Cuban-flagged vessels as blocked property, according to gCaptain. The measures target eight companies and two individuals accused of supporting the Cuban government through petroleum shipments, offshore business networks, and military procurement.

The State Department announced the sanctions on Thursday, gCaptain reported. Among the newly blocked vessels, the LPG tanker Emilia and the chemical and products tanker Gloria C were listed under Executive Order 14404, according to The Insight International.

A separate Treasury Department determination opens the door to sanctions against foreign persons operating in Cuba's marine, manufacturing, electronics, and technology sectors, according to gCaptain. The provision extends the reach of enforcement beyond entities directly tied to the Cuban state, potentially exposing foreign companies active in those industries to US penalties.

US Africa Command (AFRICOM) has launched an interagency effort linking energy cooperation with security objectives, with Nigeria and Kenya central to the strategy, according to Business Elites Africa.

AFRICOM commander Dagvin Anderson is incorporating energy cooperation into a broader push connecting security with investment and economic opportunity, Premium Times reported. Anderson has identified Kenya and Nigeria among countries interested in constructive American engagement.