EU invested most in gas infrastructure, electricity lags behind

In a total of four calls for funding designed to support energy infrastructure, the European Union invested a total of EUR 1.277 billion. Most of the funding went towards developing gas infrastructure, with only 30% allocated to electricity infrastructure.

The European Union financially supports the development of energy infrastructure through the Projects of Common Interest programme, under which it regularly selects and lists priority projects. Once included on the list, a project can apply for funding from the European Connecting Europe Facility.

Gas transmission infrastructure development received EUR 889 million in funding across the four tenders held. By contrast, transmission system development received only EUR 388 million, or approximately 30% of the total EUR 1.277 billion.

The situation is even more pronounced in the two most recent tenders, in which EUR 417 million was invested in gas and only EUR 63 million in electricity (just 13% of the total funding volume).

In Czechia, NET4GAS leads ČEPS in funding

The situation is similar in Czechia. The electricity transmission system operator has been awarded more than EUR 4 million in funding, while Czech gas transmission system operator NET4GAS received EUR 64 million.

The main difference between the two operators is accounted for by the funding for construction of the STORK II gas pipeline, which exceeded EUR 62 million. The company received two further grants for the same pipeline, for preparing documentation and for the bidirectional interconnection of the systems with Austria.

ČEPS has so far been awarded funding only for preparatory studies for planned projects. A total of EUR 4 million was allocated to line projects between the Vernéřov and Vítkov, Vítkov and Přeštice, and Kočín and Mírovka substations.