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National Grid Ventures to invest $1.75bn to accelerate power solutions for U.S. data centers and AI

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WASHINGTON, July 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — National Grid Ventures (NGV), the commercial arm of National Grid plc, has agreed to invest $1.75 billion for a 35% stake in Joulent LLC, forming a broad strategic partnership to develop contracted power and electrical infrastructure solutions for U.S. large load demand.

Zoë Yujnovich, Chief Executive of National Grid, said: “Our investment in Joulent is a disciplined, partner-led investment in contracted critical infrastructure for the AI-driven large load economy. Through National Grid Ventures, we are gaining exposure to a major source of electricity demand growth with strong partners. It extends National Grid’s core strengths of investing in long-duration infrastructure with predictable cash flows and attractive risk-adjusted returns.”

Chris James, Founder and CEO of Joulent, said: “This investment from National Grid Ventures strengthens Joulent’s ability to deliver reliable, large-scale power on the timelines AI infrastructure and advanced industry now requires. We are building an independent company designed for speed, scale and execution, without shifting the cost of that growth onto local communities while also providing tailor-made and cost competitive solutions for our customers.”

Rising demand from data centers and other power-intensive industries is driving the need for dedicated, scalable power — often outpacing the timelines of traditional grid connections. This investment is consistent with National Grid’s ambition to pursue selective critical infrastructure growth opportunities emerging from the transforming energy landscape, and marks NGV’s entry into one of the fastest-growing areas of electricity demand.

Joulent has built the capabilities, partnerships and resources to develop integrated power solutions for U.S. large load customers, including data centers, helping to accelerate speed-to-power. These solutions include co-located gas generation, battery storage, renewables integration and ‘Across-the-Meter’ grid connections. Joulent’s solutions are designed to scale quickly to meet near-term large load power demand, supporting economic growth without shifting costs onto local communities, while enabling a longer-term path to grid connection.

NGV’s investment will enable the development of Joulent’s foundational project, Project Kilby (“Kilby”), in a 50/50 partnership with Chevron Corporation. Kilby is a 2.67 GW co-located power facility in West Texas that will provide dedicated electricity to a Microsoft-operated data center under a 20-year power purchase agreement. Development of the project is at an advanced stage with secured critical equipment including GE Vernova turbines and reserved EPC capacity, and it is targeting first power delivery by 2028.

Noelle Walsh, Microsoft President of Cloud Operations + Innovation, said: “AI and cloud are advancing at a pace that requires closer coordination between energy and infrastructure, and we welcome National Grid Ventures’ experience and capabilities in helping address this challenge and support reliable, high‑performance compute at scale.”

Joulent also has a multi-gigawatt pipeline of future projects that could provide incremental growth over time.

This strategic partnership is intended to extend beyond capital, with National Grid enhancing Joulent through its deep operational capabilities, including expertise in high-voltage networks, system integration and balancing, infrastructure development and project execution. The partnership is also expected to provide insights and relationships that can strengthen National Grid’s data center connection program, where it expects to connect more than 10 GW of demand across the U.K. and U.S. over the next five years.

The investment is incremental to National Grid’s existing five-year capital investment program of at least £70 billion (approximately $90 billion) through 2031 and will be funded through the Group’s balance sheet headroom, with a final investment decision expected in 2026. It reflects a disciplined, long-term approach to supporting the energy systems of the future.

About National Grid Ventures
National Grid Ventures (NGV), the commercial arm of National Grid plc, develops, builds and operates energy infrastructure that strengthens the power system and delivers reliable, affordable energy for communities. 

In the U.S., NGV’s portfolio includes competitive transmission, battery storage, solar, LNG storage, and conventional generation assets. A global leader in transmission infrastructure, NGV operates the world’s largest portfolio of high voltage subsea interconnectors in Europe and is applying that expertise to strengthen and expand the U.S. electric grid. NGV brings decades of experience partnering with regulators and local stakeholders to build energy infrastructure that supports economic growth, improves reliability, and helps deliver lower cost energy to customers.

About Joulent
Joulent is a technology-driven energy company purpose-built to deliver reliable, multi-gigawatt energy at the speed and scale required to build the compute for artificial intelligence and other compute-intensive industries. Joulent develops and delivers firm, baseload power solutions engineered to meet the unique demands of advanced computing while minimizing impacts on existing power grids. Its modular, Across-the-Meter™ approach integrates generation, storage, and advanced controls to deliver scalable power directly to new industrial loads, while reducing strain on existing grids and providing exportable power over time.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-grid-ventures-to-invest-1-75bn-to-accelerate-power-solutions-for-us-data-centers-and-ai-302815750.html

SOURCE National Grid

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Best AI Video Generator Tools (2026): CapCut Recognized for Fast AI-Powered Video Creation by Software Experts

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NEW YORK, July 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Software Experts has recognized CapCut in its Best AI Video Generator Tools review for fast AI-powered video creation, highlighting the platform’s role in helping creators, small businesses, educators, e-commerce sellers, and marketing teams move from idea to usable video with fewer production barriers.

Best AI Video Generator Tools

CapCut – an AI-powered photo and video editing platform that supports video generation, editing, captions, templates, audio, and visual tools across mobile, web, desktop, and iPad experiences.

The recognition comes as AI video generation becomes a larger part of everyday content planning. Video demand continues to grow across social media, product marketing, online learning, and brand communication. For many teams, the challenge is no longer whether video matters. The challenge is how to create clear, usable video content without a full production setup.

Why Software Experts Recognized CapCut

CapCut addresses a practical question for users comparing AI video creation tools: how can video ideas be created faster without losing editing control?

The answer is its combined workflow. CapCut’s Seedance 2.0 supports text-to-video creation, image-to-video generation, short-form video editing, captions, effects, resizing, and export tools. This structure helps users create a draft and refine it in the same platform.

That matters because AI-generated clips often need more work before publication. Captions may need to be added. Pacing may need to be adjusted. Content may need to be resized for different channels. CapCut supports those follow-up steps instead of treating AI generation as a separate process.

The Video Creation Problems CapCut Helps Solve

Many video projects slow down before editing starts. CapCut helps reduce that friction by supporting users who need to turn early ideas, written prompts, or still assets into usable video drafts.

Key use cases include:

Product visuals: Small businesses and e-commerce sellers can turn product images into motion-based clips for listings, ads, and social posts.Written concepts: Creators and marketers can use text-to-video tools to move from a script, prompt, or campaign idea to a visual draft.Short-form content: Social media teams can create teaser videos, promotional clips, and trend-ready posts with fewer production steps.Educational content: Educators and coaches can create short explainers, lesson visuals, and presentation-ready clips from simple prompts.Campaign testing: Marketing teams can visualize ideas before committing time and resources to larger production work.

CapCut’s Seedance 2.0 reduces the gap between an idea and a usable video asset. It is especially useful for people who need regular video output but do not want a complicated editing setup.

How CapCut Supports Text-to-Video and Image-to-Video Creation

CapCut’s AI video tools support two common starting points. Text-to-video creation allows users to describe a scene, product idea, mood, or visual style. The tool can then create a draft based on that direction.

Image-to-video support gives users another path. A product photo, brand visual, character reference, or concept image can become a motion-based clip. This is useful when strong still assets already exist but video content is needed for social media, ads, landing pages, or presentations.

The workflow also supports common search intents, including how to make videos from text, how to turn images into AI videos, how to create promotional videos without editing skills, and how to make product videos faster.

The Users Who Benefit From CapCut’s AI Video Tools

CapCut is built for users who need video content on a regular basis. Its AI video generator and editing tools support different content goals across business, education, and social media.

Social media creators can use CapCut for short-form clips, teaser visuals, and trend-ready content.Small businesses can create product launch videos, event clips, seasonal content, and service explainers when original footage is limited.E-commerce sellers can turn product images into motion-based visuals for listings, ads, and social posts.Marketing teams can use CapCut to visualize campaign ideas before committing to full production.Educators and coaches can turn prompts into short explainers for lessons, presentations, and online learning materials.

Why This Recognition Matters for AI Video Creation

Software Experts’ recognition points to a larger shift in video production. AI video tools are becoming more useful when they help users move quickly, edit with control, and prepare content for real publishing needs.

CapCut fits that shift by combining AI video generation with accessible editing features in one workflow. For users comparing AI video generators, text-to-video software, image-to-video creation tools, and fast video editing platforms, CapCut offers a practical path from idea to finished content.

The full review can be read at the Software Experts website.

About CapCut

CapCut is an AI-powered photo and video editing platform designed to make high-quality video creation accessible across devices. The platform supports creators, businesses, and everyday users with tools for video editing, AI video generation, captions, templates, audio, and visual editing. CapCut is available across mobile, web, desktop, and iPad experiences, helping users create, edit, and prepare video content for social media, marketing, education, and personal projects.

About Software Experts: Software Experts delivers in-depth news on the digital tools shaping today’s consumer experience. As an affiliate, Software Experts may earn commissions from sales generated using links provided.

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/best-ai-video-generator-tools-2026-capcut-recognized-for-fast-ai-powered-video-creation-by-software-experts-302816723.html

SOURCE SoftwareExperts.org

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Waters Corporation Schedules Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Conference Call

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MILFORD, Mass., July 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT) will hold its Q2 2026 financial results conference call on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time. A live webcast of the presentation will be available on Waters’ Investor Relations website at https://ir.waters.com. A replay of the webcast will also be available until at least September 1, 2026, at midnight Eastern Time.

About Waters Corporation

Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT) is a global leader in life sciences and diagnostics, dedicated to accelerating the benefits of pioneering science through analytical technologies, informatics, and service. With a focus on regulated, high-volume testing environments, our innovative portfolio harnesses deep scientific expertise across chemistry, physics, and biology. We collaborate with customers around the world to advance the release of effective, high-quality medicines, ensure the safety of food and water, and drive better patient outcomes by detecting diseases earlier, managing routine infections, and combating antibiotic resistance. Through a shared culture of relentless innovation, our passionate team of ~16,000 colleagues turn scientific challenges into breakthroughs that improve lives worldwide. For more information, please visit www.waters.com/about.

Caspar Tudor, Head of Investor Relations
investor_relations@waters.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/waters-corporation-schedules-second-quarter-2026-earnings-conference-call-302816469.html

SOURCE Waters Corporation

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Hyperscale Data Buys 67 Bitcoin Bringing Bitcoin Treasury to Approximately 849 Bitcoin

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LAS VEGAS, July 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Hyperscale Data, Inc. (NYSE American: GPUS), an artificial intelligence (“AI”) data center company anchored by Bitcoin (“Hyperscale Data” or the “Company”), today announced that from between June 30, 2026, and July 1, 2026, the Company has acquired an additional 67 Bitcoin bringing its total Bitcoin Treasury to approximately 849 Bitcoin.

“We continue to believe in Bitcoin as a foundational asset of the future digital economy and of the Company’s balance sheet,” stated Milton “Todd” Ault III, Executive Chairman of Hyperscale Data. “We believe that Bitcoin will anchor our balance sheet and provide significant long-term value to the Company and its stockholders while retaining flexibility for the Company’s capital structure. We plan to continue acquiring Bitcoin through a disciplined dollar-cost-averaging strategy in order to maximize the potential for long-term upside.”

For more information on Hyperscale Data and its subsidiaries, Hyperscale Data recommends that stockholders, investors and any other interested parties read Hyperscale Data’s public filings and press releases available under the Investor Relations section at hyperscaledata.com or available at www.sec.gov.

About Hyperscale Data, Inc.

Through its wholly owned subsidiary Sentinum, Inc., Hyperscale Data owns and operates a data center at which it mines digital assets and offers colocation and hosting services for the emerging AI ecosystems and other industries. Hyperscale Data’s other wholly owned subsidiary, Ault Capital Group, Inc. (“ACG”), is a diversified holding company pursuing growth by acquiring undervalued businesses and disruptive technologies with a global impact.

Hyperscale Data currently expects the divestiture of ACG (the “Divestiture”) to occur in the second quarter of 2027. Upon the occurrence of the Divestiture, the Company would be an owner and operator of data centers to support high-performance computing services, as well as a holder of the digital assets. Until the Divestiture occurs, the Company will continue to provide, through ACG and its wholly and majority-owned subsidiaries and strategic investments, mission-critical products that support a diverse range of industries, including an AI software platform, equipment rental services, defense/aerospace, industrial, automotive and hotel operations. In addition, ACG is actively engaged in private credit and structured finance through Ault Lending, LLC, a licensed lending subsidiary. Hyperscale Data’s headquarters are located at 11411 Southern Highlands Parkway, Suite 190, Las Vegas, NV 89141.

On December 23, 2024, the Company issued one million (1,000,000) shares of a newly designated Series F Exchangeable Preferred Stock (the “Series F Preferred Stock”) to all common stockholders and holders of the Series C Preferred Stock on an as-converted basis. The Divestiture will occur through the voluntary exchange of the Series F Preferred Stock for shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock of ACG (collectively, the “ACG Shares”). The Company reminds its stockholders that only those holders of the Series F Preferred Stock who agree to surrender such shares, and do not properly withdraw such surrender, in the exchange offer through which the Divestiture will occur, will be entitled to receive the ACG Shares and consequently be shareholders of ACG upon the occurrence of the Divestiture.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements generally include statements that are predictive in nature and depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and include words such as “believes,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “potential,” or similar expressions. Statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties.

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any of them publicly in light of new information or future events. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement as a result of various factors. More information, including potential risk factors, that could affect the Company’s business and financial results are included in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, the Company’s Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. All filings are available at www.sec.gov and on the Company’s website at hyperscaledata.com.

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hyperscale-data-buys-67-bitcoin-bringing-bitcoin-treasury-to-approximately-849-bitcoin-302816692.html

SOURCE Hyperscale Data Inc.

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