PHUKET, Thailand , May 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — On May 9, Huawei Cloud successfully hosted its APAC Partner Summit 2025 in Thailand, centered around the theme “Go Together, Grow Together” and the transformative power of AI across industries. The conference brought together over 400 partners from more than 10 countries and regions to discuss ecosystem development in the AI era and collectively accelerate intelligence.

In her opening remarks, Jacqueline Shi, President of Huawei Cloud Global Marketing and Sales Service, underscored Huawei Cloud’s strong commitment to collaborating with partners to capitalize on strategic AI opportunities within the Asia Pacific region. Recognizing the growing demand for accelerated AI deployment across government, finance, carrier, and Internet sectors globally, Huawei Cloud is comprehensively enhancing the competitiveness of its AI cloud service products and solutions to empower partners in expanding their market reach. By working closely with partners to co-develop industry-specific solutions and explore high-value application scenarios, Huawei Cloud aims to drive new growth through precise alignment with customer needs. Furthermore, Huawei Cloud has established a dedicated competence center in Asia Pacific to systematically build a robust enablement framework for partners, encompassing technical training, delivery support, and collaborative market initiatives. This strategic investment is designed to enhance partners’ business monetization and ensure their sustainable development.

Increasing Local Presence, Activating Growth Momentum

As a pivotal engine of global economic expansion, the Asia Pacific region stands as a significant force driving technological innovation and intelligent upgrades. Within this dynamic landscape, characterized by massive digital economy opportunities, Huawei Cloud continues to prioritize localization and technological advancement. It has deployed five Regions and 18 availability zones across Asia Pacific, achieving an impressive 50 ms low-latency network coverage spanning the region. Leveraging its industry-specific expertise, global experience, and ongoing talent development initiatives, Huawei Cloud has become the preferred cloud service provider for leading enterprises. The company’s overall business scale in the region has grown thirtyfold in the past five years, positioning Huawei Cloud as the fastest-growing cloud service provider in Asia Pacific. Currently, Huawei Cloud collaborates with over 2,500 local partners in Asia Pacific. In 2024, partner revenue experienced a substantial 75% increase.

Sunny Shang, President of Huawei Cloud Asia Pacific, emphasized: “Huawei Cloud has always recognized the power of a strong ecosystem. Our partners are the core driving force behind our sustained growth.” To further empower partners in accelerating their market expansion within Asia Pacific, he unveiled the Partner Sales Acceleration Program 2.0, a comprehensive initiative providing support across three key pillars: technological innovation, capability enhancement, and resource sharing. This program includes the joint development of 50 industry solutions with partners, backed by millions of dollars in test coupons, the establishment of partner competence centers to strengthen joint go-to-market strategies, a threefold increase in the market development fund (MDF) investment, and an optimized opportunity-sharing mechanism. Through these efforts, Huawei Cloud is working hand-in-hand with its partners to unlock new avenues for growth.

To expedite the expansion of key industries within Asia Pacific, Huawei Cloud launched the Industry Deep-Dive Initiative, focusing on the Internet, finance, and carrier sectors. Huawei Cloud is committed to collaborating with partners to construct an open, collaborative, and sustainable digital ecosystem, deeply exploring industry value through scenario-specific innovation and achieving a comprehensive upgrade of customer service capabilities.

Forging an AI-Native Cloud to Embrace Intelligence

AI has firmly established itself as the most influential general-purpose technology across industries. Joy Huang, President of Huawei Cloud Strategy & Industry Development, affirmed Huawei Cloud’s dedication to building AI-native cloud services and spearheading intelligent upgrades through its “Cloud for AI” and “AI for Cloud” strategy. Huawei Cloud offers six fundamental capabilities to support both customers’ intelligent transformation and a thriving partner ecosystem: high-quality, secure, and stable cloud services; global cloud infrastructure KooVerse; cloud native technologies; AI powered by foundational technologies; data-AI convergence based on a knowledge lake; and seamless cloud-network-device synergy.

William Fang, Huawei Cloud Chief Product Officer, detailed how Huawei Cloud is reshaping cloud infrastructure through full-stack innovation with its AI-native cloud. To address the demands of massive computing power, Huawei Cloud provides AI-native infrastructure CloudMatrix, AI-native storage, and distributed cloud solutions for diverse scenarios. Furthermore, Huawei Cloud integrates Pangu models with specialized expertise and data across product R&D, data governance, security, and service O&M. These innovations are designed to enable enterprises to seamlessly incorporate AI technologies into their core business processes. Underpinned by new AI computing centers strategically located in Asia Pacific, Huawei Cloud is empowering Asia Pacific enterprises to develop and scale their AI services natively on the cloud.

At the conference, Huawei Cloud introduced the APAC AI Pioneer Plan to foster AI technology innovation and solution development in collaboration with ecosystem partners, in an effort to accelerate the widespread adoption of AI technologies throughout the Asia Pacific region.

Building a Thriving Ecosystem by All, for All

In the AI era, a vibrant ecosystem is paramount for maintaining competitive edge and ensuring sustainable development. Ken Kang, President of Huawei Cloud Global Ecosystem, emphasized that the AI ecosystem will be the defining force shaping the future of the intelligent world. Huawei Cloud’s long-term investments in core technologies and ecosystem building are focused on creating an open, full-stack ecosystem encompassing everything from model development to application implementation around AI cloud services. This strategy aims to empower partners with differentiated competitiveness, drive cross-industry AI applications, and unlock significant growth potential.

Yu Liang, Director of Huawei Cloud Overseas Cloud Ecosystem Development & Operation, articulated Huawei Cloud’s ecosystem philosophy centered on collaborative development, sales, and marketing for mutual success. Huawei Cloud is committed to working alongside partners to expedite the creation of AI-driven industry capabilities, with an emphasis on developing scenario-specific joint solutions. Through the PCE program, Huawei Cloud facilitates opportunity sharing, unlocks access to valuable markets, and ensures the collective success across the ecosystem. Moreover, Huawei Cloud will continue to refine its enablement framework, collaborating with leading local universities and enterprises to cultivate virtual human talent, thereby establishing a robust foundation for the ecosystem’s future.

Dale Chen, Director of Partner Development, Huawei Cloud Asia Pacific, outlined Huawei Cloud’s Asia Pacific partner strategy, which centers on two key priorities: diving into industries and creating more value. The first is to deepen joint innovation within key industries such as Internet, finance, and carriers, establish an Asia Pacific industry ecosystem alliance, and cultivate a robust industry developer ecosystem. The second priority is to enhance the partner sales acceleration program through four key initiatives: precision marketing, partner-centric GTM, TAM support, and healthy market, thereby systematically improving partners’ service delivery capabilities.

Jet Liu, Director of Huawei Public Cloud Operations, highlighted in his presentation that the rapid advancements in AI are empowering SMBs with equitable access to foundation model technologies. However, he noted that many enterprises encounter challenges related to data and service integration. To address these hurdles, Huawei Cloud has launched All-scenario LLM Solution for SMBs, leveraging Flexus, a tailored offering for SMBs, and Dify, a widely adopted open-source AI application development platform. The high-availability Dify mitigates open-source risks and performance limitations for enterprises. Furthermore, the RAG solution allows businesses to swiftly implement chat functionalities leveraging their internal knowledge libraries. Foundation model scenario innovation empowers enterprises to seamlessly integrate these models into practical business applications. Huawei Cloud’s vision is to enable SMBs to effortlessly utilize AI models on its platform, inviting more partners and customers to collaborate on AI model scenario innovation and achieve accelerated business growth on Huawei Cloud.

Guided by the principles of joint construction, open sharing, and shared success, Huawei Cloud is steadily cultivating a healthy and sustainable ecosystem. Currently, Huawei Cloud has more than 45,000 partners and more than 12,000 KooGallery offerings. At the conference, partners including AIS, Orange Business, SCash Global, MFEC, Silverlake, OnePro Cloud, Automated Systems, Promes, and Chulalongkorn University shared their successful collaborations with Huawei Cloud, highlighting joint innovation initiatives and business implementation progress, and showcasing the tangible achievements of Huawei Cloud’s ecosystem collaboration. Looking ahead, Huawei Cloud remains committed to working closely with its partners to ground technologies in local needs, build a thriving ecosystem, and accelerate the intelligent transformation of industries.

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SOURCE Huawei Cloud APAC

PJM Forecasts High Summer Peak Demand, Potential Need To Reduce Load With Contracted Demand Response

VALLEY FORGE, Pa., May 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — PJM forecasts sufficient generation for typical peak demand this summer but is preparing to call on contracted demand response resources to reduce electricity use under more extreme scenarios featuring record demand.

For the season ahead, PJM forecasts summer energy use, or load, to peak at just over 154,000 MW, for which PJM should have adequate reserves to maintain reliability. This season also marks the first time in PJM’s annual assessment, however, that available generation capacity may fall short of required reserves in an extreme planning scenario that would result in an all-time PJM peak load of more than 166,000 MW.

Under such circumstances, PJM would call on contracted demand response programs to meet its required reserve needs. Demand response programs pay customers who have opted in to reduce their electricity use in times of system emergencies.

The National Weather Service predicts hotter-than-normal summer conditions, especially in the Atlantic seaboard states. PJM’s record summer peak load was set at 165,563 MW in 2006. Last year, PJM’s summer peak was about 152,700 MW, and 147,000 MW in 2023. PJM has approximately 179,200 MW of generation capacity this summer, as well as approximately 7,900 MW of contracted demand response.

One megawatt can power about 800 homes.

PJM continues to voice concerns about the supply and demand imbalance driven by generator retirements and the slow build of new resources in the face of accelerating demand growth. PJM documented this confluence of trends in the 2023 PJM paper Resource Retirements, Replacements and Risks (PDF).

PJM and its stakeholders have taken a number of proactive measures to bring new generation resources online and maximize the availability of existing resources in the short and long term, including:

Interconnection Process Reform – PJM has streamlined its process through which new generation connects to the grid. Additional automation in the interconnection process, along with increased staffing over the past several years, has improved quality while reducing the backlog by 60%. PJM on April 10 also announced a multiyear collaboration with Google and Tapestry to deploy AI-enhanced tools to further streamline PJM’s interconnection process.

Reliability Resource Initiative – PJM on May 2 announced the projects chosen for this one-time program to boost reliability in the PJM footprint. It includes 51 shovel-ready generation projects with 9,300 MW in capacity that can come online by 2030 or 2031.

Surplus Interconnection Service – PJM obtained FERC approval to streamline the use of the unused portion of interconnection service for facilities that cannot or do not operate continuously, every hour of every day, year-round (such as adding battery storage to a renewable site).

Capacity Interconnection Rights Transfer – A reform package endorsed by PJM stakeholders and currently pending review by FERC would facilitate an expedited interconnection process for a replacement resource seeking to use the capacity interconnection rights of a retiring resource.

Demand Response Availability – FERC on May 5 approved a PJM proposal that improves dispatch and accreditation of demand response resources. The proposal broadens the window for demand response participation from a limited set of hours during summer and winter to around-the-clock throughout the year, enhancing grid reliability and resource adequacy.

Renewable resources will be more important than ever this summer to maintain reliability. PJM plans to issue guidance for inverter-based resource owners, typically solar and wind, to take necessary steps so that units adhere to necessary standards and operational guidelines to support reliable grid operations.

“This outlook at a record peak heat scenario reflects our years-long and mounting concerns as we plan for enough resources to maintain grid reliability,” said Aftab Khan, Executive Vice President – Operations, Planning & Security. “All resources within PJM’s footprint should be prepared to respond when called upon.”

A dedicated team of operators uses sophisticated technology to balance supply and demand and direct the power grid 24/7 from PJM’s control rooms. They prepare multiple potential scenarios that could be impacted by weather, emergency conditions or equipment failure. They adjust resource output with changes in demand and ensure that no transmission lines or facilities are overloaded. The team also watches for unusual conditions and reacts to them in order to protect the electricity supply.

PJM Interconnection, founded in 1927, ensures the reliability of the high-voltage electric power system serving 67 million people in all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. PJM coordinates and directs the operation of the region’s transmission grid, which includes 88,333 miles of transmission lines; administers a competitive wholesale electricity market; and plans regional transmission expansion improvements to maintain grid reliability and relieve congestion. PJM’s regional grid and market operations produce annual savings of $3.2 billion to $4 billion. For the latest news about PJM, visit PJM Inside Lines at insidelines.pjm.com.

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SOURCE PJM Interconnection

Leading contractor recognized for advancing inclusive employment in federal workplaces

TULSA, Okla., May 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Cherokee Federal, the federal contracting division of Cherokee Nation Businesses, was recognized by SourceAmerica with the 2025 Business Partnership Award as part of its annual Achievement Awards program, honoring companies nationwide for their work in advancing employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

Nominated by long-time partner Global Connections to Employment (GCE), Cherokee Federal was selected for its pivotal role at Fort Carson in advancing the government’s AbilityOne® Program – one of the largest sources of employment in the United States for individuals who are blind or have significant disabilities, including veterans and wounded warriors. The program uses the power of federal contracting to create jobs in every state, enabling employees to earn competitive wages, participate in their communities, and gain skills that serve as a springboard to public- and private-sector careers.

“This honor is a reflection of the powerful work being done every day by our team members and partners like GCE,” said Art Spring, Cherokee Federal’s Defense Health Account Executive and a board member of Alliance for Expanding America’s Workforce, a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding employment opportunities for people with disabilities by modernizing the federal government’s procurement process.

Spring, alongside retired U.S. Army Major General Ken Dowd, accepted the award on behalf of Cherokee Federal, saying, “Our work with GCE makes an inspiring difference in people’s lives and supports the critical missions of our federal customers.”

The SourceAmerica Achievement Awards recognize nonprofits, employees and business partners for their exceptional work ethic, success and leadership in advancing employment opportunities for people with disabilities in the workforce and enabling federal mission success. These awards highlight successes in disability employment at a crucial time when the unemployment rate among people with disabilities is nearly double that of people without a disability.

“We are thankful and humbled to receive this recognition from SourceAmerica. Cherokee Federal has an unbelievable working relationship with GCE that is making an impact for our wounded warrior heroes as well as nonprofits across the country, and we look forward to continuing this important work,” said Dowd, a Senior Account Executive at Cherokee Federal.

GCE is one of the country’s largest private employers of persons with disabilities, matching individuals with fulfilling careers in custodial services, food service, IT and other business lines. Their work supports federal, state, and local government customers as well as commercial and military partners. The impact of its partnership with Cherokee Federal changes lives while strengthening mission delivery.

Cherokee Federal is proud to support federal missions through a team of tribally owned, small disadvantaged business entities – many of which are 8(a) and/or HUBZone certified. These companies offer a range of flexible contract vehicles and responsive, mission-focused solutions to help agencies meet their objectives. With a strong foundation in program management and a broad portfolio of capabilities, Cherokee Federal works hard to be a reliable, knowledgeable partner to government customers.

To learn more about the annual Achievement Awards and view a full list of the 2025 winners, visit SourceAmerica.org.

For more information about Cherokee Federal, visit cherokee-federal.com.

About Cherokee Federal
Cherokee Federal is the federal contracting division of Cherokee Nation Businesses — the economic engine of Cherokee Nation, the largest Native American tribe in the U.S. The mission of Cherokee Federal is to build a talented team that provides innovative solutions that solve America’s greatest challenges and serves the Cherokee Nation with strong conviction and heart. For more information, please visit cherokee-federal.com or follow Cherokee Federal on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and YouTube.

About SourceAmerica
SourceAmerica connects government customers and other organizations to a national network of AbilityOne authorized providers that hire a talented segment of the workforce—people with disabilities. Established in 1974, SourceAmerica is committed to increasing economic inclusion and advocating for a more accessible future of work for people with disabilities. SourceAmerica, an AbilityOne authorized enterprise, harnesses the momentum and boosts the capability of its network and customers as a leading job connector for the disability community. To learn more, visit SourceAmerica.org and follow @SourceAmerica on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and LinkedIn.

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SOURCE Cherokee Federal