The power system failure at the end of April, which resulted in a multi-hour blackout across the Iberian Peninsula and parts of France, exposed the vulnerability of Europe’s electricity networks—particularly in Spain—and underscored the need to strengthen their resilience. Polish Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are calling for greater emphasis on cross-border projects and stable energy sources. The European Commission has announced it will present a new European Grids Package by the end of this year.
“The European Union made a major mistake by rapidly phasing out nuclear power and decarbonizing the European economy. China and the United States went in a completely different direction, expanding coal, gas, and nuclear plants. Now the EU is slowly correcting this mistake—we can see mines reopening in Germany, new nuclear power plants being built, and new energy blocks under construction. But the EU will never fully catch up,” said Bogdan Rzońca, MEP from Poland’s Law and Justice party, in an interview with Newseria.
According to Rzońca, this could mean that the EU as a whole will face more failures like those seen in April in Spain.
“There is now greater agreement on building nuclear plants or using gas for power generation. This is the right direction, and in Poland, as well as in coal-rich countries, we should not hastily dismantle coal and gas plants. In the U.S., I saw near-zero-emission gas and coal plants, so technology is advancing even in those areas. We need to turn away from the mistaken path of relying solely on renewables. Of course, renewables are needed—but alongside nuclear, gas, and coal. The world is leaving us behind. We are facing high energy prices because of the Green Deal, and European companies are fleeing to China and the U.S. EU documents already acknowledge this problem, so at least the diagnosis is clear,” he stressed.
Another major challenge, he added, is the “dramatic” condition of electricity transmission networks in some countries, especially in former Eastern Bloc states. In his view, funds from national recovery plans (KPO) should be directed toward grid modernization.
“One of the main criticisms of the recovery plans is that very few projects were developed along EU borders or between neighboring regions. With the recent changes to KPO rules, there is now a green light for cross-border and interregional projects, including in energy. This is a good direction, and I believe the funds in national recovery plans could be better used to strengthen energy security along the EU’s external borders,” Rzońca explained. “If we strengthen connections within the EU and with neighboring countries, we will be more secure, and our businesses will be less vulnerable.”
Mirosława Nykiel, MEP from Poland’s Civic Platform party, highlighted the importance of domestic investment:
“The EU should invest heavily in grids and cross-border connections, but I am very glad that we are also acting in Poland. The national grid operator, PSE, will invest 64 billion PLN by 2034. Three other companies—Energa, Enea, and Orlen—will invest another 14 billion PLN. This shows we understand the times we live in. Without modern grids, we cannot secure energy in an integrated system, and without energy there is nothing,” she said.
In June, the European Parliament adopted a report stressing the need for major investments in both cross-border and national electricity networks to expand capacity, as well as other energy infrastructure. The report emphasized the need for stricter regulatory oversight to ensure a decarbonized, flexible, and resilient electricity system.
“This report shows us how much money should be invested and in which interconnections. I am pleased that Poland is among the leading countries investing in and modernizing its grids,” said Nykiel.
MEPs also underlined the need to eliminate bottlenecks in networks and avoid curtailment of renewable energy production due to limited grid capacity. The report stressed that renewables must be better integrated into power grids and that more cross-border interconnections are needed.
On June 2, the European Commission published guidelines on anticipatory grid investments and announced that the European Grids Package would be presented by the end of 2024. According to Commission estimates, €730 billion will be required for distribution networks and over €470 billion for transmission infrastructure by 2040 to develop the EU internal energy market, boost capacity, and connect new, low-cost renewable sources. The guidelines include recommendations in three areas: grid planning based on robust future demand and generation scenarios, regulatory oversight of network development plans, and cost and incentive structures, including tariff design.
The Commission stressed that Europe is currently facing major delays in grid development, slowing the EU’s decarbonization efforts. The 2024 electricity market reform was the first step in addressing this, integrating anticipatory investments into the EU’s regulatory framework.
“Europe must be integrated, because often one country lacks power while another has surplus capacity that could be transferred. There are many such cases, but the system is not yet sufficiently integrated. For Poland, during the transition we must rely on gas, nuclear, and in the future hydrogen. It must all form one large, integrated, and efficient system,” said Nykiel. “We live in dangerous times, where regimes attack not only borders and values, but also critical infrastructure—and energy is part of that. It is crucial to invest across borders, because no single country can defend itself alone, as the war in Ukraine clearly shows.”
