Cygni Energy and Indus Towers Partner on 1.5 GWh Battery Storage for Telecom Infrastructure

Cygni Energy Private Limited and Indus Towers Limited have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore sourcing and deployment of energy storage solutions for India’s telecom tower infrastructure. The initiative focuses on developing Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) manufacturing capacity of up to 1.5 GWh to address increasing power demands at telecom sites. The companies will also evaluate advanced battery technologies to improve backup reliability, energy efficiency, and sustainability in passive infrastructure operations.

Cygni Energy, an IIT Madras-incubated company, stated that this collaboration will help build domestic scale and technological readiness for India’s digital infrastructure. Cygni Energy's founder and chief executive, Venkat Rajaraman, indicated plans to expand capacity to 2 GWh and broaden the product portfolio from 100Ah solutions to higher-capacity 314Ah systems and emerging chemistries. The focus is on achieving scale, reliability, and leveraging Indian engineering for future-ready storage systems. Ashok Jhunjhunwala, Institute Professor at IIT Madras, highlighted that such collaborations between users, startups, manufacturers, and technology institutions could accelerate energy storage adoption in India for telecom applications.

Google Nears Nuclear Power Deal with Constellation Energy for Data Centers

Google is reportedly nearing a multi-year agreement with Constellation Energy Corp. to procure nuclear power for its data centers. Sources familiar with the discussions indicate the deal could exceed $1 billion.

This potential agreement would contribute to Google's existing nuclear power commitments, including a previous deal with NextEra Energy Inc. to support the restart of the Duane Arnold reactor in Iowa, which has been offline since 2020. Additionally, Google recently partnered with Southern Co. to fund upgrades at two nuclear plants for new nuclear capacity.

The increasing electricity requirements of technology companies, fueled by the growth of artificial intelligence and data center demand, are driving interest in nuclear power. Nuclear energy offers continuous, emissions-free electricity. Recent agreements in the sector have primarily focused on utilizing existing nuclear facilities, as the development of new reactors can be a lengthy process.

Other technology firms are also pursuing similar strategies. Amazon.com Inc. recently agreed to purchase 690 megawatts of power from Constellation, which includes capacity from an upgrade at the Calvert Cliffs nuclear facility. Microsoft Corp. also entered an agreement in 2024 to buy power from the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania, with Constellation planning to restart the reactor by next year.

Europe Delivers Final ITER Vacuum Vessel Sector

The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project has received Europe's fifth and final vacuum vessel sector. This delivery concludes Europe's manufacturing contribution to the ITER vacuum vessel, a critical component designed to house fusion reactions and serve as the primary safety containment barrier.

The vacuum vessel, once assembled, will have an outer diameter of 19.4 meters, a height of 11.4 meters, and an approximate weight of 5,200 tonnes. With the subsequent installation of in-vessel components, its weight will increase to 8,500 tonnes. Each of the nine wedge-shaped steel sectors measures over 14 meters in height and weighs 440 tonnes. The fabrication of these sectors requires precise tolerances of less than a few millimeters to ensure the seamless integration of internal components, necessitating advanced forming and welding technologies.

Manufacturing and Supply Chain

The fabrication of the vacuum vessel sectors was divided between Europe, which produced five sectors, and South Korea, which produced four. South Korea completed its commitment by delivering its four sectors between 2020 and November 2024. Europe's final sector was manufactured by a consortium comprising Ansaldo Nucleare, Westinghouse, and Walter Tosto.

The production of the four segments that form each sector was carried out at Westinghouse in Monfalcone, Italy, and Walter Tosto in Chieti. Each sector involved over 1.6 kilometers of welding for assembly. The recently delivered European sector left Westinghouse's factory in Monfalcone and was transported by DAHER to the ITER site in Cadarache. The entire manufacturing process for Europe's five sectors spanned 16 years and accumulated over 2 million hours of work, including 750 kilometers of welding beads.

ITER Project Overview

ITER is an international collaboration involving 35 nations, with the European Union contributing nearly half of the construction costs. The project aims to build a tokamak fusion device to demonstrate the feasibility of fusion as a large-scale, carbon-free energy source. The goal is to operate at 500 MW with 50 MW of plasma heating power input. While no electricity will be generated at ITER, the project is targeting deuterium-deuterium fusion operation in 2035, followed by full magnetic energy and plasma current operation.