The EU’s electricity grid investment gap – Can the next Connecting Europe Facility deliver?
This Euractiv Hybrid Conference will discuss the future role of CEF-Energy in boosting electrification and strengthening Europe’s electricity networks.
Questions to be discussed include:
– What role should the Connecting Europe Facility play in financing electricity grids, including distribution networks and national infrastructure, alongside cross-border projects?
– What solutions can be proposed for the next CEF with the aim of delivering on time and efficiently all essential energy projects, taking into consideration the perspective of the fast-changing external environment?
– How can CEF better support large-scale strategic projects that rely on strong domestic grids while delivering cross-border benefits?
– How can CEF contribute to strengthening the physical and cyber security of critical energy infrastructure in the current geopolitical context?
Schedule
16:00 – 16:30 Registration of participants
16:30 – 16:35 Introduction by Marcin Laskowski, Vice-President of the Management Board of Polish Electricity Association (PKEE)
16:35 – 16:50 Panellist statements
16:50 – 17:40 Discussion and Q&A
17:40 – 17:45 Closing statements
Financing energy infrastructure is emerging as a central issue in the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework, with the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) 2028–2034 set to play a key role. As the EU accelerates the electrification and decarbonisation of its entire economy, the CEF’s effectiveness will depend on its ability to support not only cross-border interconnections, but also national and distribution-level electricity grids that underpin system integration, security of supply and economic competitiveness.
Some stakeholders argue that the future CEF will have to be carefully designed to reflect these rising investment needs in national electricity grids as a whole power system. This remains an important aspect to large-scale energy projects by enabling market integration, flexibility, and the reliable operation of interconnected and resilient power systems on every level. Their modernisation and development are therefore essential for the deployment of offshore wind, large-scale energy storage and other strategic energy assets that serve both national and EU-wide markets. At the same time, most of the smaller-scale renewable energy sources and energy storage facilities are connected to the distribution grid, enabling the development of prosumers and energy communities as well as further electrification of heating and transport sectors.
Stakeholders broadly agree on the importance of CEF, while highlighting the need for adequate and predictable funding, clear eligibility criteria and stronger recognition of electricity networks – particularly distribution grids – as critical infrastructure. Many claim that focusing exclusively on cross-border projects is insufficient, arguing that domestic grids, both transmission and distribution, should be acknowledged as integral to the functioning of the internal energy market.