Utilities Alliance Builds Record 21,000 Km of Grid
Members of the UNEZA alliance say they installed 50% more new grid in 2025 than in 2024 and have raised investment plans to at least USD 156 billion a year.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Utilities
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Members of the Utilities Alliance UNEZA built more than 21,000 km of new grid in 2025, up from 14,000 km in 2024. The alliance, which has 89 members, also raised combined grid, renewables and storage investment plans to at least USD 156 billion per year.
Why it matters
The figures point to a rapid expansion of the electricity networks needed to carry renewable power and serve growing demand. UNEZA says its members serve well over 320 million customers across six continents.
UNEZA members installed 21,000 km of new grid in 2025, a 50% rise from 14,000 km in 2024. Their combined annual investment plans reach at least USD 156 billion, but the total covers only verified committed investments from the largest members and is not exhaustive.
The players
UNEZA (Utilities Alliance)
The Utilities Alliance is a group of 89 electricity utilities that serves more than 320 million customers across six continents and was established under the UAE's COP28 Presidency.
Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA)
TAQA is a major Abu Dhabi-based power and water utility that co-chairs UNEZA alongside SSE.
SSE
SSE is a UK-based energy company that co-chairs UNEZA alongside TAQA.
The details
UNEZA, co-chaired by Abu Dhabi National Energy Company TAQA and SSE, announced the grid figure and the revised investment total at COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, with the investment figure raised again on Energy Day. The alliance was established under the UAE's COP28 Presidency and says its members will mobilise more than USD 1 trillion in energy transition investment by 2030.
Timeline
2024: Members delivered 14,000 km of new grid, the baseline for the comparison.
2025: Utilities installed a record 21,000 km of new grid.
November 10, 2026: UNEZA is set to announce delivery figures and endorse the 35-by-35 pledge at COP31.
2030: Target to mobilise USD 1 trillion and build about 90,000 km of transmission cable.
2035: Target of a 35% global electrification rate.
Market Landscape
UNEZA was established under the UAE's COP28 Presidency, and its 2025 build figures show members following through on that founding push to expand grids. The alliance's investment plans now include renewables and storage alongside transmission, widening the scope beyond the networks utilities have traditionally financed.
Faster grid construction and larger investment plans suggest more transmission capacity to connect new renewable generation over the coming years. The alliance's figures indicate that the networks serving more than 320 million customers are being expanded at a higher pace than in 2024.
The takeaway
Grid expansion is becoming a central part of the energy transition, and the investment needed to match it is growing quickly. Watching whether delivery figures keep pace with the 2030 targets will show how close the sector is to its goals.
What happens next
UNEZA is scheduled to announce delivery figures and endorse the 35-by-35 pledge at COP31 on November 10, 2026.
Further reading
For more on the companies building the networks behind this expansion, see the Utilities section.
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