Paris – September 07, 2026 -- Annual investment in electricity grids must rise roughly 50% to approximately $600 billion by 2030, up from about $400 billion currently, according to the International Energy Agency, as global demand from electrified transport, industry, buildings and data centers pushes power systems toward their limits.
The figures were presented at the CIGRE 2026 Paris Session, which drew more than 15,000 experts from 100 countries and 330 exhibitors to address the buildout of next-generation power grids.
Permitting delays in Europe and the US lag China and India by years
Permitting a very-high-voltage transmission line takes approximately 1.5 years in China and around three years in India, according to IEA data cited at the event. Comparable projects in Europe and the United States typically require eight to ten years or more, creating a bottleneck for grid expansion at the pace the energy transition demands.
CIGRE calls for a single, integrated grid system across the value chain
CIGRE argued that the energy transition will only succeed if future grids are developed, operated and managed as one integrated system, requiring transmission and distribution operators to coordinate development and operations, utilities and technology suppliers to scale equipment and industrial capacity, and regulators to build stable frameworks that support investment while maintaining affordability and public acceptance. CIGRE President Konstantin O. Papailiou called for collective action, stating there is "no plan B, no planet B" when it comes to building the energy systems of the future.
Sector needs 1.5 million additional workers by 2030, IEA estimates
Roughly eight million people currently work in the construction, maintenance and operation of electricity grids worldwide, but the IEA estimates the sector will require 1.5 million additional workers by 2030 to meet electrification targets. CIGRE said it is addressing the shortage through its technical working groups and the CIGRE Fund for Innovation and Education, which supports research, scholarships and training globally.
France's Industry Minister links current electrification push to CIGRE's 1921 founding
French Industry Minister Martin visited the CIGRE exhibition as part of the FIERE event (Filière Industrielle des Entreprises des Réseaux Électriques), underscoring the importance of industry cooperation to drive the current wave of electrification and noting that CIGRE's first conference was held in Paris in 1921.