Brussels, 24/02/2015 (Agence Europe) - The interconnection roadmap that the European Commission will unveil on Wednesday 25 February as part of its package on energy union, a copy of which has been obtained by EUROPE, sets out three imperatives for achieving a minimum target of interconnection of 10% of capacity in every member state by 2020.
Firstly, full implementation of the regulation on trans-European energy networks (TEN-E). The Commission intends to intensify the work of the regional groups set up under the regulation - the Northern Seas Offshore Grid, the Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan (BEMIP), north-south interconnections in West Europe, and north-south interconnections in Central Eastern and South Eastern Europe - monitor the progress of each infrastructure project of common interest (PCI) and propose corrective measures at an early stage, in particular for member states that are furthest from achieving the 10% goal. In 2014, twelve countries were still below the target: Ireland (9%), Italy (7%), Romania (7%), Portugal (7%), Estonia (4%), Latvia (4%), Lithuania (4%), the United Kingdom (6%), Spain (3%), Poland (2%), Malta and Cyprus (0%). France and Germany were on 10%, Greece and Bulgaria 11%. The Commission is also looking to increase its support for critical projects, assessing any obstacles and risks that might delay construction and taking action as necessary (such as, bringing the promoters together to find solutions to technical, planning design and implementation issues; facilitating contacts with the EIB and other banks; working with the regulators to find the best incentives; launching appropriate procedures, for example, on permit granting; and resolving political issues between member states.
Secondly, use of EU financial instruments: the Connecting Europe Facility, the structural funds and the future European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI).
Thirdly, enhancing regional cooperation. Under the supervision of the Commission, which will encourage alignment of working practices, the four regional groups will establish actions plans which include interconnection proposals for achieving the 10% target. In the most difficult cases, such as the Litpol Link between the Baltic States and Poland or the interconnections between France and Spain, the Commission will provide assistance in order to include new projects in their respective action plans. The Commission will work closely with the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) to make sure that the scope of the ten-year network development plan, the only instrument for the selection of projects of common interest (PCIs), is widened so that it identifies projects to achieve the 10% target. The Commission will report annually to the European Council. It will ensure that the work of the regional groups benefits from the appropriate synergies with the EFSI. Lastly, the Commission will convene the first European Infrastructure Forum in late 2015. (Emmanuel Hagry)