Blackouts in Italy: Commission calls for improvement of grid infrastructure

Severe power failures hit Italy on 28 September, continuing a series of major blackouts to affect national power grids across Europe, the United States and Canada. Denmark and Sweden were hit a few days previously, while power cuts left London's underground transport in chaos at the beginning of September. German media reported that powercuts in Germany have been avoided by a narrow escape.

There is as yet no consensus on the origins of the power failures in Italy, with grid operators in Italy, France and Switzerland blaming each other for malfunctioning supply lines.

Commissioner Loyola de Palacio pointed out that recent blackouts confirmed the importance of the legislative package for a pan-European energy market which was adopted in July 2003. The European electricity grid suffers from chronic congestion in several regions, and some parts are still badly connected. The legislation aims at putting an end to the situation of some countries whose electricity systems currently suffer from isolation. Italy is a prime example for lacking interconnector infrastructure, and the industry has long called for an improvement of this situation.

The Commission will put forward a Communication on the development of electricity infrastructures, containing measures to improve supply and build the necessary infrastructure.