Press Release ENTSO-E report sets out Europe’s transmission investment needs to 2035

ENTSO-E publishes the Transmission Grid Investment and Supply Chain Assessment Report 2026, providing a shared, forward-looking view of the key transmission equipment that Transmission System Operators (TSOs) across Europe plan to install over the next ten years. The report examines what this demand means for supply chains, procurement and the skilled workforce needed to deliver Europe’s grid investment plans.

The report covers seven major asset categories from 2026 to 2035: switchgear, power transformers and shunt reactors, overhead lines, underground and submarine cables, reactive power compensation, and HVDC converters.  

Why visibility matters now 

Manufacturers need credible, long-term demand signals before they invest in new production lines, factories and skilled staff. The report shows demand across TSOs, by asset category, voltage level and year. 

It shows three drivers converging in the same decade: the energy transition, the SF₆ phase-out under Regulation (EU) 2024/573, and the replacement of assets installed in the 1980s and 1990s. As a result, planned additions in almost every asset category peak at the same time, between 2028 and 2032. 

The report identifies the following needs: 

• HVDC cable: around 34,000 km of new cable by 2035 (over 22,000 km underground and close to 12,000 km submarine). This means a significant increase of this asset base over the next 10 years and calls for sufficient European cable manufacturing capacity. 
• HVDC converter stations: 119 new bipolar converter stations, compared to 38 today. 
• Switchgear: 4,238 SF₆-free gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) bays. In parallel, TSOs still plan 10,819 SF₆ AIS circuit breakers and 2,884 SF₆ GIS bays, so manufacturers will need to supply both technologies through the transition. 
• Power transformers: 2,820 new units, on top of a current fleet of 5,649. 
• Grid reinforcement and optimisation: over 64,000 km of new high-temperature low-sag (HTLS) conductors and a strong expansion of dynamic line rating, which let existing lines carry more power. 
• Reactive power compensation: STATCOMs (above 150 MVA) growth by 482%, while demand for some older technologies declines. 
• Skilled workforce: Many TSOs highlight skilled workforce availability as a key challenge, and support coordinated action at sector level. 

Turning visibility into action 

The report makes the following recommendations: 

• Manufacturers to match capacity expansion and pass long-term demand visibility down to their own Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers. 
• TSOs to enhance cooperation on harmonised technical requirements and long-term infrastructure planning. 
• Policy makers to use the evidence to target industrial, permitting and skills measures where they will have the greatest effect.

Download the report