|
Brussels, |
|
Security of electricity supply​
Security of electricity supply in the EU means the ability of an electricity system to guarantee supply to customers at a clearly defined level of performance set by the Member State concerned. The text stresses that integrated electricity markets and interconnected systems make the EU more resilient overall, but they also increase the risk that disruptions can spread across borders.
For that reason, Member States are expected to cooperate more closely and more proactively in preventing and managing electricity crises. It also notes that the EU energy security framework is being reviewed to reflect both the turbulent geopolitical context and the ongoing electrification of the economy. A call for evidence and public consultation ran between September and November 2024, and the Commission fitness check on energy security was published in December 2025.
For that reason, Member States are expected to cooperate more closely and more proactively in preventing and managing electricity crises. It also notes that the EU energy security framework is being reviewed to reflect both the turbulent geopolitical context and the ongoing electrification of the economy. A call for evidence and public consultation ran between September and November 2024, and the Commission fitness check on energy security was published in December 2025.
Regulation on risk-preparedness in the sector
The core of the framework is the Regulation on risk-preparedness in the electricity sector, adopted in 2019 as part of the Clean energy for all Europeans package. Its central principle is that, in an electricity crisis, competent authorities in all EU countries must cooperate so that electricity goes where it is most needed.
The regulation requires Member States to establish tools to prevent, prepare for and manage electricity crises in a spirit of solidarity and transparency. It also introduces common methodologies to identify crisis scenarios and to assess short-term and seasonal adequacy between electricity generation and consumption, with the objective of preserving grid stability and avoiding shortages.
The regulation also gives an important role to ENTSO-E, which must prepare seasonal supply outlooks before each winter and summer. These outlooks assess security of supply at pan-European level and support the Commission’s monitoring work. In parallel, Member States must draw up risk-preparedness plans for crisis prevention and management based on regional and national risk scenarios. The Commission may issue opinions on those plans, which must be updated regularly and at least every four years. The page specifies that the second cycle of plans, due by 5 January 2026, has officially started.
Another key point is the assistance mechanism between Member States. In the same spirit of solidarity, countries must agree on measures to support one another in preventing and managing crises, especially to protect public safety and personal security.
To facilitate that mechanism, the Commission published in 2020 a Recommendation on the key elements concerning fair compensation and the technical, legal and financial arrangements needed for assistance under Article 15 of the regulation.
The regulation requires Member States to establish tools to prevent, prepare for and manage electricity crises in a spirit of solidarity and transparency. It also introduces common methodologies to identify crisis scenarios and to assess short-term and seasonal adequacy between electricity generation and consumption, with the objective of preserving grid stability and avoiding shortages.
The regulation also gives an important role to ENTSO-E, which must prepare seasonal supply outlooks before each winter and summer. These outlooks assess security of supply at pan-European level and support the Commission’s monitoring work. In parallel, Member States must draw up risk-preparedness plans for crisis prevention and management based on regional and national risk scenarios. The Commission may issue opinions on those plans, which must be updated regularly and at least every four years. The page specifies that the second cycle of plans, due by 5 January 2026, has officially started.
Another key point is the assistance mechanism between Member States. In the same spirit of solidarity, countries must agree on measures to support one another in preventing and managing crises, especially to protect public safety and personal security.
To facilitate that mechanism, the Commission published in 2020 a Recommendation on the key elements concerning fair compensation and the technical, legal and financial arrangements needed for assistance under Article 15 of the regulation.
Network code on emergency and restoration
The page then refers to the Regulation (EU) 2017/2196 establishing a network code on emergency and restoration, which entered into force in December 2017. This code sets out rules for the management of the electricity transmission system in emergency, blackout and restoration states. In other words, it governs how the system should operate when normal conditions break down and how it should be restored afterwards.
Electricity coordination group
The Electricity Coordination Group is presented as a forum for exchanging information and coordinating electricity policy measures that have cross-border impacts. Its role is not merely consultative: it also serves as a place where participants share experience, best practices and expertise on security of supply, including risk-preparedness, generation adequacy and cross-border grid stability. The group also assists the Commission in designing policy initiatives. Its members represent national governments, national energy regulators, ACER, and ENTSO-E.
Energy storage and security of supply
The content also underlines that energy storage is indispensable for the security of the clean energy transition. Storage is described as crucial for providing flexibility, stability and reliability to the grid. It can support the electrification of the economy and help consumers adapt their consumption to market conditions and their own needs. At the same time, the page makes clear that significant economic barriers to deployment still remain.
To address this, the Commission adopted a Commission Recommendation on energy storage, calling on Member States to remove remaining regulatory barriers, to take storage into account in grid planning and operation, and to ensure that storage can participate in existing market schemes. The broader message is that electricity security in the EU increasingly depends not only on emergency procedures and interstate coordination, but also on a power system that is more flexible and better equipped to integrate clean energy.
To address this, the Commission adopted a Commission Recommendation on energy storage, calling on Member States to remove remaining regulatory barriers, to take storage into account in grid planning and operation, and to ensure that storage can participate in existing market schemes. The broader message is that electricity security in the EU increasingly depends not only on emergency procedures and interstate coordination, but also on a power system that is more flexible and better equipped to integrate clean energy.
