The employers’ association of electricity companies, Eurelectric, suggested this Tuesday, 9th, that the European Union (EU) use 1.5% of the GDP committed to NATO for investments in strengthening the security of the electricity grid and preventing blackouts.
“Securing the supply of electricity is an existential imperative for the EU”, states Eurelectric in a letter sent to the Energy Ministers of EU countries, who will meet in Brussels on December 15th to discuss security of supply.
The employers’ association highlights that energy infrastructures have become a target of hybrid attacks in a context of growing geopolitical tensions and strategic competition between great powers and adds that “energy security is synonymous with electrical security”.
Eurelectric proposes that the 27 use part of the 250 billion, earmarked for defense-related investments, to reinforce the allied commitment to finance up to 1.5% of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in security capabilities, to strengthen the electricity sector.
The association calls for the creation of reserves of essential components, the financing of drone detection and neutralization systems, the improvement of cybersecurity and the acceleration of the ability to quickly repair damaged infrastructure.
“Preparation for physical and cyber attacks, response practice and recovery planning must become the new norm”, states the organization in the letter, which advocates the holding of joint exercises between companies, civil authorities and military units to strengthen reaction capacity.
As a second priority, Eurelectric requests “optimizing open strategic autonomy”, so that the EU finds “an appropriate balance between ending import dependencies and the costs arising from strict local content requirements”.
Finally, Eurelectric calls for the guarantee of a “secure electricity supply” through “holistic” system planning, greater investments in new safe infrastructures and market mechanisms that allow for the mobilization of more flexibility resources, considered essential to maintain supply “in any scenario”.
The message from electricity companies comes on the eve of the presentation by the European Commission of a plan to reinforce networks and accelerate the electrification of the EU’s production system.