On April 9, 2026, the European Commission published a list of 235 cross-border energy projects eligible for faster permits and EU money. It includes 113 electricity projects, 100 hydrogen and electrolyser projects and 17 carbon-transport projects. The Commission put total energy infrastructure investment needs at nearly €1.5 trillion from 2024 to 2040.
In January it had awarded €650 million to 14 projects, including €120 million for RWE's Gronau-Epe hydrogen storage caverns and €113 million for Baltic grid protection. The Baltic states had left Russia's grid about a year earlier, not weeks. In June, EU governments backed a stronger central planning role for the Commission and scaled back a plan to redirect grid congestion revenues to cross-border projects. A call for the next round of priority projects closes in November and December 2026.
Why it matters
Europe's power bills and energy security depend on whether these cross-border lines and hydrogen plants get built.
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Key Indicators
235
Priority Projects
Second EU cross-border list, published April 2026: 113 electricity, 100 hydrogen and 17 carbon-transport projects
€1.5T
Investment Needs to 2040
European Commission estimate for energy infrastructure from 2024 to 2040
€650M
January 2026 Investment
Funding for 14 cross-border projects under the Connecting Europe Facility
€700M
Grid Guarantee
EIB and BNP Paribas programme that could support up to €2.8 billion in grid equipment investment
45%→19%
Russian Gas Import Share
EU dependence on Russian gas fell from 45% in 2021 to 19% in 2024
24 events
Latest: November 3rd, 2026 · 1 week ago
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November 2026
German Regulator Awards First Gas Capacity Contracts
LatestMarket
Germany's regulator held its first auction for gas capacity contracts, Economy News reported. The report gave no details on volumes or prices.
September 2026
EIB and BNP Paribas Launch €700M Grid Guarantee
Investment
The European Investment Bank and BNP Paribas launched a guarantee programme for power-grid equipment. They say it could support up to €2.8 billion in investment by manufacturers.
EU Opens Call for Next PCI/PMI List
Policy
The Commission calls for cross-border electricity and smart-grid projects seeking priority status. Electricity applications close November 13, 2026; other categories close December 4. A final list is expected in November 2027.
June 2026
Council Backs Modernised Energy Network
Policy
EU governments agree a common framework for planning electricity, hydrogen and gas networks and give the Commission a bigger role in cross-border planning. They scale back a proposal to redirect grid congestion revenues to cross-border projects.
April 2026
EU Publishes List of 235 Priority Energy Projects
Milestone
The second PCI/PMI list includes 113 electricity projects, 100 hydrogen and electrolyser projects, 17 carbon-transport projects and 3 smart gas grid projects. Selected projects can apply for Connecting Europe Facility funding.
March 2026
Commission Unveils Small Modular Reactor Strategy
Policy
At the Paris Nuclear Energy Summit, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen backs a strategy to bring Europe's first small modular reactors online in the early 2030s, with a €200 million investment guarantee. The plan targets 17 to 53 gigawatts by 2050.
February 2026
CEF-E-2026-CBRENEW Call Opens for €150M in Cross-Border Renewables
Policy
The European Commission opens its call for cross-border renewable energy projects with €150 million available. Applications accepted until March 12, 2026. This call supports both works and studies for electricity and hydrogen infrastructure connecting EU member states.
EU Electrolyser Makers Form Coalition for Hydrogen Policy
Industry
Six of Europe's leading electrolyser manufacturers form a coalition to strengthen hydrogen policy and protect industrial leadership in clean hydrogen technology. The move signals industry confidence in EU hydrogen infrastructure investments.
REPowerEU Regulation Enters Into Force
Policy
The REPowerEU regulation (EU/261/2026) officially enters into force, cementing the EU's legal framework for phasing out Russian energy imports and accelerating the transition to independent, clean energy infrastructure.
January 2026
Commissioner Jørgensen Visits Portugal for Energy Talks
Diplomatic
European Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen travels to Portugal to discuss energy resilience, cross-border interconnections, and affordable housing—underscoring the Commission's focus on strengthening bilateral energy cooperation.
€650 Million Allocated for 14 Cross-Border Projects
Investment
The Commission funds 14 energy infrastructure projects including the first-ever CEF construction grant for hydrogen storage (Gronau-Epe, Germany) and €113 million for Baltic grid resilience.
North Sea Summit Advances Offshore Wind Cooperation
Policy
Commissioner Jørgensen attends North Sea Summit in Hamburg to advance cross-border offshore wind expansion. Germany and Denmark agree on joint development of Bornholm Energy Island project, which Jørgensen calls 'Europe's pathway for independence.'
December 2025
EU Agrees to End Russian Gas Imports by 2027
Policy
EU member states reach historic agreement to phase out Russian gas imports entirely by end of 2027 and Russian oil shortly thereafter.
November 2025
EU Hydrogen Mechanism Launches
Policy
Commissioner Jørgensen launches the Hydrogen Mechanism to connect hydrogen suppliers and buyers across the EU. Over 260 projects submit supply offers by January 2026.
February 2025
Baltic States Complete Synchronization with EU Grid
Milestone
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania permanently disconnect from the Soviet-era BRELL grid and synchronize with continental Europe—ending 75 years of electrical dependence on Russia ahead of schedule.
January 2025
Record €1.25 Billion CEF Energy Allocation
Investment
The Commission announces its largest-ever CEF Energy call, allocating €1.25 billion for 41 cross-border energy projects—exceeding the call's initial €850 million budget.
July 2024
Germany Funds RWE Hydrogen Projects
Investment
German federal and state governments confirm €818 million for RWE's hydrogen projects, including the Gronau-Epe storage facility and a 300-megawatt electrolyzer in Lingen.
April 2024
Sixth PCI/PMI List Published
Milestone
The Commission publishes its sixth list of priority projects: 166 total, including 85 electricity and smart grid projects plus 100 hydrogen and electrolyzer projects—signaling hydrogen infrastructure's arrival as an EU priority.
June 2022
Revised TEN-E Regulation Adopted
Policy
Updated rules add hydrogen infrastructure, smart grids, and offshore electricity as priority categories. New Projects of Mutual Interest category enables projects with non-EU countries.
May 2022
REPowerEU Plan Launched
Policy
The Commission unveils REPowerEU, mobilizing €300 billion to end dependence on Russian fossil fuels through diversified imports, energy efficiency, and accelerated renewable deployment.
February 2022
Russia Invades Ukraine, Triggering Energy Crisis
Geopolitical
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine exposes EU dependence on Russian fossil fuels. At this point, Russia supplies 45% of EU gas imports, 27% of oil, and significant coal volumes.
July 2020
EU Hydrogen Strategy Launched
Policy
The Commission adopts its hydrogen strategy, targeting 6 gigawatts of electrolyzer capacity by 2024 and 40 gigawatts by 2030 to produce up to 10 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen.
December 2019
European Green Deal Announced
Policy
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveils the European Green Deal, committing the EU to climate neutrality by 2050 and pledging to mobilize €1 trillion in sustainable investments over the 2020s.
June 2013
TEN-E Regulation Creates Projects of Common Interest
Policy
The EU establishes the Trans-European Networks for Energy framework, creating a category of priority cross-border infrastructure projects eligible for public funding. The first PCI list follows.
Scenarios
1
Hydrogen Infrastructure Accelerates, EU Meets 2030 Targets
Possible
Discussed by: European Hydrogen Backbone initiative, Hydrogen Europe, European Commission projections
Germany's Gronau-Epe project proves the technology works at scale, triggering a cascade of final investment decisions on the seven hydrogen studies now receiving EU funding. By 2030, five pan-European hydrogen corridors emerge with nearly 28,000 kilometers of pipelines—mostly repurposed natural gas infrastructure. The EU reaches its target of 10 million tonnes of domestic renewable hydrogen production and emerges as a global leader in hydrogen technology exports.
2
Hydrogen Remains Niche, Electrification Dominates
Possible
Discussed by: International Energy Agency, energy economists, battery storage advocates
Hydrogen infrastructure costs prove stubbornly high while battery storage costs continue falling. Most of the seven hydrogen studies funded in January 2026 never progress to construction. Green hydrogen remains confined to hard-to-electrify industrial processes like steel and ammonia production. The EU's €29 billion proposed CEF Energy budget increase for 2028-2034 gets redirected toward grid reinforcement and battery storage instead.
3
Energy Crisis Returns, Infrastructure Spending Surges
Uncertain
Discussed by: European Council on Foreign Relations, security analysts, energy ministers from eastern EU states
Geopolitical tensions or supply disruptions trigger another energy crisis before 2027. EU member states respond by fast-tracking permitting for all PCI projects and dramatically increasing the CEF Energy budget beyond the proposed €29.91 billion. Cross-border interconnection capacity doubles by 2035. The crisis mindset that drove REPowerEU becomes permanent EU energy policy.
4
Fiscal Constraints Slow Infrastructure Buildout
Possible
Discussed by: EU budget hawks, fiscal conservatives in member state governments, infrastructure developers
Economic pressures or competing spending priorities prevent the proposed fivefold increase in CEF Energy funding. The pace of cross-border energy investments slows after 2027. Pumped hydro modernization projects stall. Europe's aging energy storage infrastructure—70% of pumped storage facilities are over 40 years old—becomes a reliability liability rather than a grid stabilization asset.
5
Grid Package Becomes Law in 2026
Possible
Resolves by End of 2026
Discussed by: European Council, European Commission, European Parliament
EU governments and Parliament agree the European grids package in 2026. The Commission gets a central plan for cross-border electricity, hydrogen and gas infrastructure, and permitting speeds up. The next step is moving projects from the 235-project list into construction.
Historical Context
3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.
1 of 3
2011-2022
Nord Stream Pipeline Expansion (2011-2022)
Germany and Russia built two undersea pipelines—Nord Stream 1 (2011) and Nord Stream 2 (2021)—to deliver Russian gas directly to Germany, bypassing Ukraine and Poland. The pipelines carried up to 110 billion cubic meters of gas annually. The US and Eastern European states warned for years that the infrastructure created dangerous dependence on Moscow.
Then
Russia cut Nord Stream 1 flows to 20% capacity in July 2022, then zero in August. In September 2022, underwater explosions (still under investigation) ruptured both pipelines.
Now
The episode vindicated critics and transformed EU energy policy. It accelerated diversification away from Russian gas and created political will for the CEF Energy budget expansion now underway.
Why this matters now
Today's €650 million investment explicitly funds infrastructure resilience and independence—including Baltic grid protection against the kind of energy weaponization Nord Stream demonstrated.
2 of 3
1996-2009
EU Single Electricity Market Creation (1996-2009)
The EU spent over a decade building legal frameworks and physical infrastructure to create a unified electricity market across member states. Three successive legislative packages gradually opened national markets to competition and required transmission system operators to coordinate across borders.
Then
Wholesale electricity prices converged somewhat across the EU. Cross-border trading enabled countries to balance supply and demand more efficiently.
Now
The single market infrastructure proved essential during the 2022 energy crisis, allowing countries with surplus power to help neighbors. It established the institutional framework now being extended to hydrogen.
Why this matters now
The current hydrogen backbone initiative follows the same playbook: build physical infrastructure and market rules simultaneously. The difference is hydrogen faces technology uncertainty that electricity transmission never did.
3 of 3
1991-2025
Baltic Independence from Soviet Grid (1991-2025)
When Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania regained independence in 1991, their electricity grids remained physically synchronized with Russia and Belarus through the Soviet-era BRELL agreement. For 34 years, Moscow could theoretically destabilize Baltic grids by manipulating frequency. The EU committed €1.2 billion to fund undersea cables to Finland and Sweden and an overland link to Poland.
Then
On February 9, 2025—months ahead of the original 2025 year-end deadline—the Baltic states disconnected from BRELL and synchronized with continental Europe.
Now
Russia's Kaliningrad exclave must now manage its grid independently. The precedent shows EU energy infrastructure can move faster when security urgency exists.
Why this matters now
The €113 million allocated in January 2026 for Baltic infrastructure protection shows the EU's commitment to defending what was achieved—and the ongoing perception that physical grid infrastructure is a security vulnerability.
