Costa’s speech to MEPs puts electricity grids at the centre of energy policy
The European Council president paired short-term relief for energy users with a push to connect more power generation.
European Council President António Costa used his October 21 address to the European Parliament to argue for two responses to high energy costs. He backed immediate steps to ease pressure on households and businesses, and called for investment to reduce Europe’s exposure to imported fossil fuels.
On the longer-term question, Costa called for more electricity generation from renewables and nuclear power, greater electrification and upgrades to the grid. He said Europe had installed 80 gigawatts of renewable capacity the previous year, while six times as much was awaiting connection. He used that comparison to argue for finishing the EU’s work on the grids package and speeding up investment.
Costa was reporting on the October 15–16 European Council meeting. His address also covered the EU’s long-term budget, support for Ukraine and migration policy.