ACER Urges Better Use of Europe's Power Grids
Transmission investment has tripled since 2019, yet permitting delays and congestion costs are straining consumers and infrastructure plans.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Utilities
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The EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) published its 2026 Monitoring Report on energy infrastructure development in Europe. It recommends better use of existing networks, improved infrastructure planning, and fairer cost-sharing mechanisms.
Why it matters
Electricity network costs now account for around 28% of the average bill for EU households, and renewable expansion and new demand from heat pumps, electric vehicles and data centres require grids to accommodate new connections. Delays and congestion are raising costs that ultimately fall on consumers.
Transmission investment reached €30.5 billion in 2025, up from €10.4 billion in 2019, while an average of 22% of cross-border projects are delayed each year. Congestion income from day-ahead markets exceeded €9 billion in 2025, and 60% of it, about €12.5 billion, is set aside rather than reinvested or used to reduce tariffs.
The players
ACER (EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators)
ACER is the European Union agency that coordinates national energy regulators and monitors the functioning of the EU's internal energy markets and infrastructure.
The details
ACER found that lengthy permitting procedures are the main cause of delays in electricity transmission projects of common and mutual interest. Transmission system operators also took remedial actions to relieve grid congestion, which cost European consumers €5.4 billion in 2025, while EU household network costs rose 40% between 2019 and 2025 to 84 EUR/MWh.
Timeline
2019: Electricity transmission investment stood at €10.4 billion.
2024: Congestion remedial costs were lower than in 2025.
2025: Transmission investment reached €30.5 billion and congestion remedial actions cost consumers €5.4 billion.
2030: An electrolyser capacity target of 30-58 GW is envisaged in national strategies and EU scenarios.
Market Landscape
The EU's projects of common interest framework was built to speed cross-border energy links, yet about 22% of those projects are delayed each year, largely by permitting. The gap between planned and actual progress shows the framework has not yet translated into faster grid build-out.
Network charges now make up roughly 28% of a typical EU electricity bill, so continued grid cost increases will feed directly into household energy spending. Faster permitting and better use of existing lines could limit how much of that cost is passed to consumers.
The takeaway
Households and businesses can expect electricity network costs to remain a significant share of energy bills while grid expansion continues. Watching whether regulators and governments act on permitting reform and congestion-income use will show whether those costs begin to ease.
Further reading
For broader background, explore the latest Utilities coverage on grid investment and energy costs.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Europa.
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