The EU Grids Package: A blueprint for Europe’s future energy infrastructure

In a recent thread about electric vehicles, some users were discussing power transmission limitations with current infrastructure. I wanted to share this article as its own thread because it's pretty important, and, like much EU legislation, under-discussed.

Everyone talks about electric vehicles. It feels relevant. But perhaps the biggest and most pointless barrier to the energy transition is a lack of interconnection permits to the grid. Every time a new solar or wind farm is built, it can take years for grid operators to process the application. This is wasteful and is preventing plenty of great projects from coming online for no good reason.

This month, the EU proposed a legislative package that would introduce a more efficient framework for grid connection permitting. Among other things, it would guarantee a maximum review time limit for applications, so if a bureaucracy stalls for too long, it will be automatically approved. Of course nothing will be connected in a way that is risky for the grid's stability. These improvements should streamline the process substantially and remove a major bottleneck.

On 10 December 2025, the European Commission published its long-awaited EU Grids Package (COM(2025) 1005) – a comprehensive set of legislative proposals, policy initiatives and strategic priorities aimed at accelerating the expansion and modernisation of Europe’s energy infrastructure. The package addresses electricity grids as well as hydrogen and CO₂ networks and is intended to remove one of the most persistent bottlenecks in the European energy transition: insufficient, fragmented and slow-to-develop network infrastructure.

According to the Commission, more than 500 GW of wind and solar capacity are currently waiting for grid connection across the EU. At the same time, several Member States remain far from the long-standing 15% interconnection target, limiting cross-border electricity flows and preventing the emergence of a truly integrated Energy Union.

Parts of the package focus on improving planning:

At the core of the package lies a proposed revision of the Trans-European Networks for Energy ("TEN‑E") Regulation (Regulation (EU) 347/2013), which governs cross-border energy infrastructure. The Commission’s central concern is that the existing planning framework identifies too many projects that never materialise – while at the same time failing to deliver infrastructure where it is actually needed. For example, ENTSO-E estimates that around half of cross-border electricity needs (41 GW) remain unaddressed by 2030.

To address this, the Commission proposes a more directive and scenario-driven approach. Every four years, it would develop a central EU-wide energy scenario, based on Member State input, which would serve as the reference point for infrastructure needs assessments by ENTSO‑E (electricity) and ENNOH (hydrogen). This scenario would guide the selection of Projects of Common Interest ("PCIs") and Projects of Mutual Interest ("PMIs"), with the aim of aligning national planning decisions more closely with EU-wide system needs.

Most notably, the Commission would acquire new "gap‑filling" powers. Where cross-border infrastructure needs are identified but no suitable projects are proposed by transmission system operators ("TSOs") or developers, the Commission could actively intervene – inviting project proposals and, ultimately, launching calls open to any promoter.

And other parts on permitting:

Permitting delays remain one of the most severe obstacles to grid deployment. According to the Commission, even projects designated as PCIs frequently take five years or more to secure permits, with renewable projects sometimes taking close to a decade.

The proposed Permitting Acceleration Directive (COM(2025) 1007) therefore introduces, for the first time, binding EU-level time limits for permitting procedures covering grid infrastructure, renewables, battery storage and EV charging stations. Where authorities fail to decide within the prescribed deadlines, projects may benefit from tacit approval ("positive silence").

The directive also strengthens the legal status of energy infrastructure by establishing a rebuttable presumption of overriding public interest, allowing key projects to prevail over competing land-use or environmental constraints – while remaining subject to EU environmental law. Further measures include mandatory one-stop-shop permitting portals, simplified procedures for repowering, and explicit facilitation of co-located battery storage.

In addition to streamlining planning and permitting, additional funding is necessary to make physical upgrades to transmission infrastructure to accommodate more connections.

I am tagging some users in case you are interested. @KapteinB @dna @pete_the_paper_boat