Changes from report parliamentary committee draft to plenary report

Added1. When the infrastructure needs identification report for electricity concludes that projects submitted for inclusion in the Union wide ten-year network development plan do not fully meet the infrastructure needs identified pursuant to Article 12, or where previously identified needs remain insufficiently addressed, the Commission shall launch without undue delay a targeted process to identify possible solutions to address the unmatched needs taking into account the initial scenario, its sensitivity analyses and the expected European and regional socio-economic benefits of possible solutions.

Added2. The Commission, in cooperation with the ENTSO for Electricity, the Member States, the Agency and the relevant national regulatory authorities shall invite system operators in the relevant Groups to propose, within six months of the invitation, projects capable of addressing the unmatched needs. The Commission shall submit the proposed projects to the relevant Groups established in accordance with Article 3 for discussion. The Commission may involve other relevant stakeholders and other regional cooperation fora. Project promoters capable of addressing the unmatched needs shall submit eligible projects as soon as possible for inclusion in the subsequent national development plans, the Union-wide ten-year network development plan and the Union list. The identification and discussion of such projects shall ensure coherence and complementarity with existing national and European planning processes, in particular national network development plans, the Union-wide ten-year network development plan and the PCI/PMI selection process.

Added2a. The Commission shall ensure transparency of the process by publishing the identified unmatched needs, the proposed solutions and the outcome of their assessment pursuant to paragraph 2, including the extent to which those solutions are expected to address the identified needs, while ensuring the protection of commercially sensitive, confidential, security-relevant and personal data.

Added3. Where the process under paragraph 2 does not identify projects capable of addressing the unmatched needs, or where the proposed projects are not sufficient to effectively address those needs, the Commission shall launch a call for proposals open to any third party capable of becoming a project promoter to propose projects capable of addressing the unmatched needs. Project promoters capable of addressing the unmatched needs shall submit eligible projects as soon as possible for inclusion in the subsequent national development plans, the Union-wide ten-year network development plan and the Union list. Such a call shall be designed so as to ensure coherence with existing national and European planning processes and shall avoid the creation of parallel planning frameworks.

Added3a. When launching a call for proposals referred to in paragraph 3, the Commission shall ensure their financing and clarify responsibilities for potential technical and security implications for the relevant national grids and existing cross-border infrastructure resulting from the implementation of that project.

Added4. The Commission shall monitor the outcome of the process and progress of the projects referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3 and closely involve the relevant Groups established in accordance with Article 3 and other relevant regional cooperation fora, the Agency and national regulatory authorities. The Commission shall regularly assess whether the unmatched needs are being effectively addressed and shall report to the European Parliament and to the Council on any remaining gaps in subsequent planning cycles. Where no sufficiently effective projects are submitted following a call for proposals, the Commission may consider additional incentive mechanisms.

Added4a. Where the infrastructure needs identification report for hydrogen concludes that projects submitted for inclusion in the Union wide ten-year network development plan do not fully meet the infrastructure needs identified pursuant to Article 12, the Commission may launch a process to identify possible solutions to address the unmatched needs, including through targeted de-risking measures, such as intertemporal cost allocation mechanisms and guarantee instruments.

Added1. For projects falling under the infrastructure categories set out in points (1)(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) and (h) and points (2) and (3) of Annex II , the ENTSO for Electricity and the ENNOH shall use consistent single sector methodologies for a harmonised energy system-wide cost-benefit analysis at Union level when assessing projects for their inclusion in their respective Union-wide ten-year network development plans.

Added2. The methodologies shall:

Added(a) be drawn up in accordance with the principles laid down in Annex V;

Added(b) be based on common assumptions allowing for project comparison;

Added(c) be consistent with the Union’s targets for energy and climate and its 2050 climate neutrality objective and be based on and applied in accordance with the initial scenario and sensitivity analyses referred to in Article 11, as well as with the rules and indicators set out in Annex IV, and contribute to ensuring resilience to existing and emerging risks identified at Union and Member State levels;

Added(d) allow for the assessment of project bundles pursuant to Article 18 and, in the electricity sector, for the consideration of non-wire, innovative transmission and grid optimisation technologies;

Added(e) shall take a cross-sectoral approach and ensure methodological coherence between electricity, hydrogen and electrolysers;

Added(ea) assess, for each project and project bundle, the contribution to the relevant implementation phase under the initial scenario and reflect, where relevant, network mapping and indicative investment needs established pursuant to Article 11.

Added3. The ENTSO for Electricity and the ENNOH shall develop and publish preliminary draft methodologies for the purpose of consulting the EU DSO Entity, and other relevant stakeholders. The consultation process shall be open, timely, transparent and structured. The ENTSO for Electricity and the ENNOH shall publish all relevant background documentation, including assumptions, and shall document how stakeholder input has been taken into account.

Added4. The ENTSO for Electricity and the ENNOH shall publish and submit to Member States, the Commission and the Agency their draft methodologies. The ENTSO for Electricity and the ENNOH shall provide reasons where they have not, or have only partly, taken into account the comments from Member States, national authorities, or other stakeholders. The ENTSO for Electricity and the ENNOH shall publish and submit to Member States, the Commission and the Agency their first consistent single sector draft methodologies by December 2027.

Added5. Within three months of receipt of the draft methodologies, the Agency shall assess their compliance with this Article and with Annex V and may request amendments where duly justified. The Commission may organise specific meetings of the Groups to discuss the draft methodologies.

Added6. Within three months of receipt of the opinions of the Agency and Member States, the ENTSO for Electricity and the ENNOH shall amend their respective methodologies to fully take into account the opinions of the Agency and the Member States and submit them to the Commission for its approval.

Added7. Within three months of receipt of the respective methodologies, the Commission shall issue a reasoned decision approving them or requiring amendments where duly justified. The Agency shall publish the approved methodologies on its website without delay.

Added8. If the Agency rejects the draft methodology, it shall provide reasons. The ENTSO for Electricity and the ENNOH respectively shall revise the draft methodology and resubmit it to the Agency for its approval.

Added9. Within two weeks of the approval by the Agency, the ENTSO for Electricity and the ENNOH shall publish their respective methodologies on their websites.

Added10. The Commission and the Agency may request the ENTSO for Electricity and the ENNOH to update their methodologies and set a timetable. The Agency may act on its own initiative, or upon a duly reasoned request by national regulatory authorities or stakeholders, and may require updates to the methodologies where necessary to ensure their continued relevance and robustness. The Agency shall publish the requests it receives and all relevant non-commercially sensitive documents on which its request is based.

Added11. Where the Agency requires an update pursuant to paragraph 10, the ENTSO for Electricity and the ENNOH shall update the consistent single sector cost-benefit methodologies in accordance with a streamlined approval procedure defined by the Agency, ensuring timely implementation while maintaining transparency and ensuring stakeholder consultation.

Added12. The ENTSO for Electricity and the ENNOH shall publish in the context of each Union-wide ten-year network development plan the updated input data relevant for application of the methodologies, including calculation methods, network models, relevant load flow and market data, as well as the underlying assumptions used to assess identified infrastructure needs and their correspondence with proposed projects, in a digitally readable format. These data shall be published in a sufficiently accurate form subject to restrictions under national law and relevant confidentiality agreements. ▌

Added13. The ENTSO for Electricity and the ENNOH shall calculate and publish, as part of the Union-wide ten-year network development plan, the results of cost-benefit analyses for all projects, showing how the benefits are distributed across countries, including gross and net benefits for both hosting countries and non-hosting countries that benefit from the respective project.

Added14. For projects falling under the energy infrastructure categories set out in point (1)(g) and in point (4) of Annex II, the Commission shall ensure the development of methodologies for a harmonised energy system-wide cost-benefit analysis at Union level. Those methodologies shall be compatible in terms of benefits and costs with the methodologies developed by the ENTSO for Electricity and the ENNOH. The methodologies shall be developed in a transparent manner, including extensive consultation of the Agency, the Member States, the EU DSO entity and all relevant stakeholders.

Added15. Starting from [April 2028] and every two years, the Agency shall establish and publish a set of indicators and corresponding reference values for the comparison of unit investment and operational costs for comparable projects of the energy infrastructure categories included in Annex II. Project promoters, system operators and investors who have commissioned projects falling under the infrastructure categories identified in Annex II shall provide the requested data to the national regulatory authorities and to the Agency. Those reference values may be used by the ENTSO for Electricity and the ENNOH for the cost-benefit analyses carried out for subsequent Union-wide ten-year network development plans.

Added1. Following completion of the infrastructure needs identification pursuant to Article 12, and considering the needs matching process pursuant to Article 13, and the energy system-wide cost-benefit analysis pursuant to Article 14, the Commission shall every two years prepare a Comprehensive framework assessment to complement the Union strategic scenario.

Added2. The Comprehensive framework assessment shall aggregate and integrate the results of the planning processes referred to in paragraph 1 into a single Union-level strategic framework and shall provide an indicative assessment of the future architecture of the Union energy system and cover the planing horizon up to 2050 and include two successive ten-year planing periods within the overall planing horizon, the first one until 2040 and the next one until 2050.

Added3. The Comprehensive framework assessment shall include where appropriate:

Added(a) an indicative Union-wide assessment of infrastructure needs;

Added(b) priority cross-border infrastructure and strategically relevant internal infrastructure;

Added(c) an indicative Union-wide network map identifying major infrastructure corridors, bottlenecks, reinforcement needs and interdependencies between electricity, hydrogen, gas and CO₂ transport and storage infrastructure;

Added(d) the expected architecture of the Union energy infrastructure system for each planning horizon;

Added(e) indicative implementation phases and milestones;

Added(f) indicative investment costs and financing needs for each planing window;

Added(g) an assessment of expected benefits for system efficiency, resilience, security of supply and achievement of the Union's energy and climate objectives;

Added(h) remaining infrastructure gaps and strategic priorities requiring further action at Union level.

Added4. The Comprehensive framework assessment shall not replace or prejudice the infrastructure needs identification, the energy system-wide cost-benefit analysis or the project selection process established under this Regulation but shall provide an integrated strategic overview of their combined results at Union level.

Added5. The Commission may evaluate and propose appropriate financing mechanisms and support instruments facilitating the implementation of infrastructure developments identified in the Comprehensive framework assessment, taking into account Member States’ investment needs and the objective of an efficient and resilient Union energy system and enabling timely and efficient energy infrastructure investments across the Union, without creating any entitlement to Union or national financing.

AddedOffshore grids for renewable integration

AddedOffshore grid planning

Added1. By [within 6 months after entry into force], Member States, with the support of the Commission, within their specific priority offshore grid corridors, set out in Section 2 of Annex I, taking into account the specificities and development in each region, shall update the non-binding agreement to cooperate on goals for offshore renewable generation to be deployed within each sea basin by 2030, 2040 and 2050, in accordance with their national energy and climate plans, and the offshore renewable potential of each sea basin. The agreement shall include renewable offshore hydrogen goals as applicable.

AddedAs part of the non-binding agreements, Member States, with the support of the Commission, within their specific priority offshore grid corridors, set out in Section 2 of Annex I, shall also consider whether specific cross-border goals, such as for hybrid or cross-border radial projects, should be established between two or more Member States in their respective national energy and climate plans with the aim to achieve the goals for offshore renewable generation to be deployed within each sea basin in the most efficient manner.

AddedThat non-binding agreement shall be made in writing as regards each sea basin linked to the territory of the Member States, and shall be without prejudice to the right of Member States to develop projects on their territorial sea and exclusive economic zone. The Commission shall provide guidance for the work in the Groups.

Added2. By [within 12 months after entry into force], and every two years thereafter, as part of the following ten-year network development plan thereafter, the ENTSO for Electricity and the ENNOH with the involvement of the four High-Level Groups, the Agency, the relevant TSOs and HTNOs, as well as the national regulatory authorities, the Member States and the Commission, and in accordance with the non-binding agreement referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article, shall jointly develop and publish, as a separate report which is part of the Union-wide ten-year network development plan, high-level strategic integrated offshore network development plans for each sea-basin, in line with the priority offshore grid corridors referred to in Annex I, taking into account environmental protection and other uses of the sea. The ENTSO for Electricity shall take into account relevant contributions provided by the ENNOH to fulfil the tasks assigned to them in accordance with this Article.

AddedIn the development of the high-level strategic integrated offshore network development plans within the timeline provided for in paragraph 1, the ENTSO for Electricity and the ENNOH shall consider the non-binding agreements referred to in paragraph 1 for the development of the Union-wide ten-year network development plan and the Union strategic scenario.

AddedThe high-level strategic integrated offshore network development plans shall provide a general overview of offshore generation capacities potential and resulting offshore grid needs, including the potential needs for interconnectors, hybrid projects, radial connections, reinforcements, and hydrogen infrastructure.

Added3. The high-level strategic integrated offshore network development plans shall be consistent with regional investment plans published pursuant to Article 34(1) of Regulation (EU) 2019/943 and integrated within the Union-wide ten-year network development plans in order to ensure coherent development of onshore and offshore grid planning and the necessary reinforcements as well as hydrogen infrastructure needs linked to offshore renewable energy development, including hydrogen production transport and storage where relevant for system efficiency.

Added4. At the latest every four years after the adoption of the non-binding agreement with paragraph 1, the Member States, shall update their non-binding agreements referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article, including in view of the results of the application of the latest cost-benefit and cost-sharing to the priority offshore grid corridors.

Added5. After each update of the non-binding agreements in accordance with paragraph 4, for each sea basin, the ENTSO for Electricity and the ENNOH shall update the high level strategic integrated offshore network development plans within the next Union-wide ten-year network development plan as referred to in paragraph 2.

Added1. 1. The Commission shall, with the involvement of the Member States, relevant TSOs, HTNOs, the Agency and the national regulatory authorities, consider whether an update of the guidance on collaborative investment frameworks for offshore energy projects, which provides for a specific cost-benefit and cost-sharing for the deployment of the sea-basin integrated offshore network development plans referred to in Article 15(2) in accordance with the non-binding agreements referred to in Article 14(1), is necessary and, where relevant, publish an updated version of the guidance. This guidance shall be compatible with Article 17(1). The Commission shall update its guidance when appropriate, taking into account the results of its implementation while also including uniform cross-border cost-allocation methodology for offshore hybrid projects when available.

Added2. The ENTSO for Electricity and the ENNOH with the involvement of the relevant TSOs, HTNOs, the Agency, the national regulatory authorities and the Commission, shall update the results of the application of the cost-benefit and cost-sharing to the priority offshore grid corridors, including whenever the Commission publishes any update to the guidance for a specific cost-benefit and cost-sharing for the deployment of the sea-basin integrated offshore network development plans referred to in Article 15(2) in accordance with the non-binding agreements referred to in Article 15(1).

AddedRegulatory framework

Added1. The efficiently incurred investment costs, which exclude maintenance costs, related to a project of common interest falling under the energy infrastructure categories set out in points (1)(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) and (h) of Annex II, and projects of common interest falling under the energy infrastructure category set out in point (2) of Annex II, where they fall under the competence of national regulatory authorities in each Member State concerned, shall be borne by the relevant TSO, HNO, other operators or the project promoters of the transmission infrastructure of the Member States to which the project provides a net positive impact, and, to the extent not covered by congestion rents or other charges, be paid for by network users through tariffs for network access in that or those Member States.

Added1a. Project promoters, regulatory authorities and the system operators of the concerned Member States shall provide to the Agency, upon its request, the information necessary for the purpose of carrying out the Agency’s tasks under this Article.

Added2. The provisions of this Article shall apply to a project of common interest falling under the energy infrastructure categories set out in Article 27 and points (1)(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) and (h) and point (2) of Annex II, where at least one project promoter requests the relevant national authorities their application for the costs of the project.

AddedProjects falling under the energy infrastructure category set out in point (1)(g) of Annex II may benefit from the provisions of this Article where at least one project promoter requests its application from the relevant national authorities.

AddedWhere a project has several project promoters, the relevant national regulatory authorities shall without delay request all project promoters to submit the investment request jointly in accordance with paragraph 4, without prejudice to project promoters’ agreement on cost sharing.