Life Will Find Away, and Oil Finds Markets

Welcome to the Energy News Beat podcast, where hosts Stu Turley and Rey Trevino (Pecos Operating) break down nine major stories shaping the global energy landscape. In this episode, they explore how oil and diesel markets are adapting to geopolitical disruptions—from Saudi Arabia’s innovative shuttle tanker routes around the Houthis to China’s strategic pivot toward […]

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White House Declares National Emergency to Secure the U.S. Bulk-Power System – Will We See If Chinese Grid Equipment Is Removed?

President Trump signs Executive Order 14420, targeting foreign-made grid equipment, software, and remote-access gear as electricity demand from AI, manufacturing, and defense rises. President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order 14420 on August 26, 2026, declaring a national emergency to secure the United States bulk-power system. The order invokes the International Emergency Economic Powers Act […]

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Iran-Linked Cyberattack Tests Britain’s Energy Defenses. Are There Potential Strikes in the US on the Grid?

An Iran-linked cyberattack shut down a small-scale energy generator in the United Kingdom for four days in July 2026, marking what officials and reports describe as the first successful infiltration of a UK energy facility by Iranian-affiliated hackers. The incident, first detailed by The Telegraph and confirmed by UK authorities, involved no threat to the […]

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What if 9 Substations were Targeted on the US Grid? Would Jon Wellinghoff’s Prediction of an 18-Month US Grid Blackout Happen?

The U.S. power grid faces a long-standing vulnerability that has resurfaced in recent discussions: a coordinated attack on a small number of critical substations could trigger a cascading nationwide blackout lasting months—or longer. This warning, originally highlighted by former Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman Jon Wellinghoff, stems from analysis following the 2013 Metcalf substation […]

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WSJ Reports Battery Energy Storage Systems Are Moving to Scale. But What Are the Hidden Catches?

The Wall Street Journal recently highlighted how battery energy storage systems (BESS) are shifting from niche applications to meaningful scale in the United States, with residential deployments accelerating particularly fast. Companies like Base Power are installing home batteries at a rapid clip, and broader market data confirm strong growth in both utility-scale and behind-the-meter segments. […]

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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 […]

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