The European Union faces an increasingly urgent dilemma: how to protect electricity grids from power failures or attacks against a backdrop of rising geopolitical tensions. The response may involve unconventional measures, involving funds normally allocated to defense.
Defense money in favor of energy
The idea came from Eurelectric, an association that brings together the main electricity companies in Europe, and which has been warning about the vulnerability of networks to hybrid attacks and critical failures.
According to Executive Digest, a website specializing in economics and business, the association proposes that Member States use up to 1.5% of the Gross Domestic Product, destined for commitments with NATO, to reinforce the resilience of electrical networks and prevent blackouts that could affect millions of citizens.
Energy networks under threat
According to the same association, energy infrastructures have become preferential targets for hybrid attacks, involving physical and cyber actions. Securing the supply of electricity is no longer just an economic issue and has become a central element of European security.
Among the measures highlighted are the creation of strategic reserves of essential components, the financing of drone detection and neutralization systems and the reinforcement of network cybersecurity.
The association also proposes to accelerate the ability to quickly repair damaged infrastructure, minimizing the impact of possible incidents.
Coordination and quick response
Eurelectric also advocates joint exercises between companies, civil authorities and military units. These exercises aim to test coordination, response capacity and recovery mechanisms in the event of attacks or serious failures, according to the same source.
Another point under analysis is the so-called open strategic autonomy, which seeks to reduce external dependencies without imposing excessive costs on European supply chains. The objective is to balance local production, supply security and competitiveness.
The pressure from the electricity sector comes on the eve of the presentation, by the European Commission, of a plan to reinforce the networks and accelerate the electrification of the productive fabric.
At a time when energy intersects with security, the debate on how to prevent blackouts in Europe takes on new urgency, according to .
Also read:
