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On 28^th April 2025, a massive blackout swept across Spain, Portugal, Andorra, and parts of southern France, plunging millions into darkness and disrupting essential services such as transport, communications, and payments. While power was largely restored within 24 hours, the incident exposed critical vulnerabilities in Europe’s energy infrastructure and underscored the urgent need for coordinated crisis management and investment in resilience.

As Commissioner Jørgensen noted in the opening statement in the plenary debate on the Resilience of the EU grid infrastructure on 7^th May 2025, “The recent blackouts remind us that energy security can never be taken for granted.” She emphasized the importance of solidarity and swift action and praised the efforts of authorities and workers in the affected regions.

From the perspective of EU funding and investments, this event highlights at least four critical areas:

1. Infrastructure modernization: Europe’s power grids, many of which are over 40 years old, require significant upgrades to handle the increasing share of renewable energy and the growing demand from sectors like electric vehicles and data centres. The European Commission estimates that an investment of approximately €1.8–2.1 trillion is needed by 2050 to modernize the grid.
2. Interconnectivity: The blackout revealed the limitations of current interconnections between national grids. For instance, Spain has only 5% of its power capacity connected to neighbouring countries. The EU aims to increase interconnection levels to 15% by 2030, facilitating better energy sharing and resilience across member states.
3. Energy storage and backup: Integrating renewable energy sources like wind and solar, which are intermittent by nature, necessitates robust energy storage solutions. Europe’s battery storage capacity is projected to reach 50 GW by 2030, far short of the 200 GW required to ensure grid stability.
4. Crisis preparedness: The blackout is a stark reminder of the need for comprehensive crisis management strategies. Commissioner Jørgensen highlighted that the EU will propose a legislative revision of the security of supply framework, focusing on energy storage, supply chain resilience, and the ability of critical infrastructure to withstand physical and cyber threats.

In this scenario, we can stress the significant role that EU funds can play in addressing these challenges. Programs like the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and Horizon Europe are instrumental in financing projects that enhance grid infrastructure, promote interconnectivity, and support research into advanced energy storage solutions.

To conclude, the recent blackout was not just a technical failure. It showed strategic priorities and challenges that Europe must address urgently to safeguard its energy future. It was also a wake-up call for Europe to invest in a resilient, interconnected, and modern energy system. Through strategic funding and collaborative efforts, the EU can build an energy infrastructure that not only meets our current needs but is also prepared for future challenges.

Commissioner Jørgensen stated, “We need to work together to build a strong and sustainable European Energy Union, with deeper integration, stronger interconnections, and shared investments.”

Written by: Cristina Ceccarelli