Follow-up Comments to the meeting of TEN-E Regional and Thematic Groups for Electricity, Gas, Oil & Smart Grids

Orgalime, the European Engineering Industries Association thanks the Commission for having invited European technology manufacturers as a stakeholder to the meeting of TEN-E Regional and Thematic Groups for electricity, gas, oil and smart grids, which took place on 4 February 2016 in Brussels.  In general:

• Orgalime supports the objective of the TEN-E Regulation to address infrastructure needs in respect of the overall goals of competitiveness of European industries, security of supply and sustainability.

• We second the Commission’s view that infrastructure is the backbone of the European Energy Union but emphasise that electricity infrastructures in both, transmission and distribution are needed for a successful implementation of the Energy Union, EU 2030 Energy and Climate Framework and the Paris Agreement.  The modernisation of Europe’s energy infrastructure, in particular the electricity networks at all voltage levels, is a prerequisite to deliver the EU’s 2020 and 2030 energy and climate targets. It is especially in the area of low and medium voltage distribution grids where most of the benefits of smart grids will arise for consumers. However, the TEN-E Regulation falls short in tapping into this today: only three smart grids PCIs are on the second Union PCI list. There is therefore a clear need for improvement on this in the light of the Energy Union and New Deal for Consumers, both of which we fully support.

• Orgalime welcomes that the Commission announcement that it will give more attention to stakeholders’ opinions for the establishment of the third Union list of Projects of Common Interest (PCIs) in 2017. Including technology suppliers directly in the debate would, in our view, be beneficial for the identification of more innovative projects of common interest in the spirit of the TEN-E Regulation, which in our view represents a second area for improvement.

• Regarding PCIs on the second Union list, indeed further improving the permit granting process and increasing public acceptance remain priority areas for speeding up its implementation.