Why stronger grids are essential for Europe’s electric future

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Since the 1950s, Europe has been the cradle of democratic cooperation, with trade as its cornerstone. Transmission System Operators (TSOs) have developed – and continue to expand – cross-border interconnections. These have provided the system stability upon which we built our internal energy market. And as our cooperation grew, so did the reach of our grid, also known as the single biggest machine in the world.  

The European Network of Transmission System Operators of Electricity (ENTSO-E) was built on this bedrock, and our role is to make sure Europe matches the pace of the transition. Our member TSOs work to pinpoint local, national and cross-border needs, then share their expertise with each other and European policymakers - all this to identify which projects are critical over the coming decades.

These feed into the Ten-Year Network Development Plan (TYNDP), published every two years. Since the publication of the first TYNDP in 2010, over 16,000km of interconnection transmission lines have been built - that's roughly the distance between Brussels and Sydney. We have also continued to weave a close web of interconnections, with 23 EU countries adding at least one interconnection with a neighbouring country. Together, these projects identified by ENTSO-E amount to a European achievement – one that reflects our regional needs. 

Source: Roadmap 2050