Daily Digest for

Státní pokladna Centrum sdílených služeb launched an open tender for construction of the II and III stages of the Zeleneč Data Centre including trial operation and 60 months’ service and maintenance, with an estimated value of 490,000,000 CZK (excl. VAT). The procedure is open under Directive 2014/24/EU, submissions are electronic via the Ministry of Finance eZAK profile, and the tender deadline was extended to 12 January 2026 at 10:00 CET.

Vistra agreed to acquire Cogentrix Energy’s 10-plant natural gas portfolio (~5,500 MW) for a net purchase price of approximately $4.0 billion (composed of ~$2.3B cash, ~$0.9B stock—5M shares at $185—and assumption of ~$1.5B debt, less ~$0.7B tax benefits). The deal implies ~$730/kW, is expected to close mid-to-late-2026, and is forecast to deliver mid-single-digit per-share accretion in 2027 and high single-digit accretion on average 2027–2029.

The Piedmont Environmental Council called on the Virginia General Assembly to pause hyperscale data center approvals and require full accounting and a transparent plan to protect the grid, water, air, and communities. PEC cited Monitoring Analytics’ warning to FERC about reliability and affordability risks and noted the state’s data center sales tax exemption cost Virginia $1.6 billion in FY2025.

Thyssengas and Gasunie signed a joint development agreement to explore converting existing natural gas pipelines at Oude Statenzijl and Vlieghuis to carry hydrogen between the Netherlands and Germany. The agreement sets technical standards and organisational responsibilities and could enable transport to/from Denmark.

Germany’s BMWE and Australia’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water agreed in September 2023 to develop a joint auction for green hydrogen using the H2Global double auction model, with BMWE committing up to 200 million euros from the KTF and Australia matching that commitment. The BMWE is running a public market consultation (questionnaire available until 16 February 2026) to design the auction and comply with EU state aid rules; implementation is via the H2Global Foundation and its subsidiary HINT.CO GmbH.