A statement on the European Grids Package
Agora welcomes the European Grids Package as an important initiative to steer investments where they best deliver affordable and clean energy. Transparent EU-level modelling to guide national infrastructure planning will be critical, helping to reduce costs and ensure a resilient energy system.
Brussels, 10 December 2025. Today, the European Commission published the “European Grids Package”, outlining legislative measures to drive investment in Europe’s energy infrastructure, primarily the electricity grids. Below is a statement by Frauke Thies, Co-Director Europe, Agora Energiewende:
“We welcome the strong focus on Europe’s grids as a precondition for delivering clean, affordable energy for households and businesses. Today’s fossil fuel import dependency is costly and exposes Europe to geopolitical risks. Our analysis shows that deeper power market integration and coordinated infrastructure planning across sectors, energy carriers and countries can cut costs by over 560 billion euros between 2030 and 2050, while helping to ensure a resilient energy system.
Against this backdrop, the proposal to introduce a complementary EU-wide scenario to inform energy infrastructure planning is a crucial step. To steer investment where it delivers most, independent and transparent EU-level modelling that guides national planning is key. We also recognise the importance of ‘energy highways’, especially for electricity interconnections, so that affordable renewable energy can flow from north to south and east to west.
Other elements – such as more efficient use of existing grids and faster, simpler permitting procedures for grid infrastructure, renewable projects and storage – also mark important steps forward. However, it is critical that these new proposals build on – and do not delay – the implementation of already existing legislation. This package has potential to align infrastructure investments with the reality of a rapidly electrifying economy. It is now crucial for EU governments and the Commission to work together to coordinate on infrastructure planning and accelerate grid expansion to serve a modern and resilient energy system."
