What are grid connections and how Europe can fix the queue

What are grid connections?

A grid connection is the physical link that allows electricity generators and consumers to connect to the electricity network. This connection enables electricity to flow from power generators to consumers. It also allows excess self-generated electricity to flow back into the grid.

Grid connections rely on a combination of substations, transformers and power lines. These elements form an interlinked system that ensures a reliable and secure electricity supply. Developers can ask to connect to distribution or transmission lines. This depends on the size and type of their project.

Types of grid connections

There are two types of grid connections:

1. High-voltage connections operate at voltage levels ranging from 10 kilovolts (kV) up to 380 kV. Usually, Transmission System Operators (TSOs) oversee these connections. These usually connect large-scale generation facilities, industrial consumers and cross-border electricity flows.
2. Low and medium-voltage connections are usually between 250 volts (V) and up to 24 kV. They connect, for instance, household EVs and solar PVs to local and regional networks. Therefore, Distribution System Operators (DSOs) usually manage them.

As Europe pushes ahead with electricity and renewable deployment, most new connections are taking place at the distribution level. Up to 2030, distribution grids will need to accommodate 70% of new renewable generation and electricity storage.

For DSOs, rising demand for new or upgraded connections for both electricity generation and consumption is testing existing infrastructure. Eurelectric’s Power Barometer shows that in 2024, there were more than 450,000 RES connection requests, a +133% increase since 2021.

This growing pressure on distribution grids is the focus of this article.

How is a grid connection made?

In Europe, Distribution System Operators (DSOs) handled most of the connection requests. While procedures vary slightly between countries, the main steps are broadly similar:

1. A project developer or customer submits a connection request, specifying the location and the amount of capacity required.
2. The DSO conducts a study assessing the impact of the project on the grid. Based on the results, it determines if it needs to make reinforcements or upgrades.
3. The project must obtain all necessary permitting from competent local, regional or national authorities.
4. The DOS builds the required grid infrastructure or reinforces the existing one. This could include new cables, substations or transformers.
5. Finally, the DSO activates the connection, and electricity can start flowing between the project and the grid.

The whole process can take several months – or even years – depending on grid constraints and permitting timelines. As heat pumps, solar PV systems and EVs become more common, DSOs face an unprecedented volume of connection requests.

“We will probably get to the point that up to 2030, we need to make one connection every seven seconds of a working day” said Leonhard Birnbaum, CEO of E.ON.

The company is facing the massive challenge of making approximately 5.7 million connections from 2024 to 2030.

How do DSOs manage such an influx of requests?

Today, the most common approach is “first come, first served”: the DSO processes connection requests as they receive them. This approach, however, does not take into account the project type, societal value or urgency. In the long run, varying levels of assessment, permitting and construction time for different projects can cause queues.

This picture shows the need for stronger policies and better teamwork. We need to make connection processes easier and use the grid more efficiently.

The growing challenge: connection queues

Connection queues happen when electricity producers, consumers, or prosumers send their requests faster than DSOs can handle them. As requests accumulate, projects queue while awaiting capacity, permits or grid reinforcements.

Several factors contribute to the emergence and persistence of connection queues:

1. Capacity constraints. Sometimes the grid does not have enough capacity from the TSO, or the infrastructure is too old. Additionally, high levels of renewable energy create flows in many directions, slowing down the connection process for new projects.
2. Over-reservation capacity. When project developers site their projects, they often reserve more capacity than needed, and without a penalty. They do so to keep capacity for a later project or to sell their reservation to other promoters. This eventually worsens queues by inflating demand. For instance, in Slovakia, 50% of the reserved capacity goes unused. This prevents important projects from getting the capacity they need.
3. Permitting times: this is a significant bottleneck gumming up the connection request process. Complex, fragmented approval processes add years to timelines. For example, Norway has 8-month waits to assign case managers for grid upgrades. Meanwhile, local opposition is slowing down renewable and grid projects across Europe. This is a significant bottleneck gumming up the connection request process.
4. No right to refuse. Most DSOs cannot refuse connection requests, except in strictly defined circumstances related to system safety. This leaves many connection requests in the queue, preventing the connection of other realised projects.

In this context, a strict “first come, first served” approach risks slowing down electrification, renewable deployment and industrial decarbonisation.

Together, these factors underline the need for better regulatory frameworks and smarter connection management practices. In the meantime, several best practices are already emerging.

How DSOs can better manage their grid connection requests

To cope with growing demand, DSOs across Europe and beyond are adopting alternative approaches to connection management. Eurelectric’s paper highlights the following alternatives:

• Priority to societal value. In the Netherlands, DSOs give priority first to congestion-relievers like batteries that enhance grid capacity. Second, to essential security services (police, hospitals), and finally, basic needs (education, housing, heating). Within each group, first-come, first-served applies, and allocated capacity must align with core activities.
• “First ready, first served​”. The operator gives priority to the most-ready projects aligned with 2030 capacity targets. It then replaces a project misses a milestone, it replaces replaces projects that miss milestones. Finally, it assesses remaining projects for 2035 connections based on technology type and network zone.
• “Most ready, first connected”. In Denmark, connections go to customers who submit documentation first. Then, the grid operator reserves network space only upon fee payment, giving priority to project maturity and commitment.​
• Maturity assessments: in Norway, DSOs conduct maturity assessments to remove ghost projects that overbook capacity.

From backlog to breakthrough: what can speed up connections

To ensure faster, more efficient and fairer grid connections, Eurelectric’s key recommendations include:

• Introducing price signals and economic incentives to discourage speculative applications, while ensuring they do not discourage the use of electricity and renewable energy.
• Implementing stricter requirements for connection requests. These include fees, penalties or revocation of access rights for speculative applications, penalties for exceeding contracted capacity, and ensuring planning permissions before connection approvals.
• Improving coordination between DSOs and TSOs, ensuring DSO expansion.
• Streamlining permitting procedures at the national level, reducing delays caused by fragmented municipal or regional approval processes.
• Expanding the use of Flexible Connection Agreements (FCAs) to optimise grid use without causing discrimination between market players.
• Allowing for the adoption of technical solutions that support gradual, more cost-efficient and quicker network scale-up.
• Ensuring proper regulatory frameworks to speed up the adoption of digital solutions.

Notably, EU Member States have different needs and challenges; therefore, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. National authorities should tailor their approach to balance economic efficiency, grid expansion needs and fair access to connections.

What the European Grids Package does for grid connections

Launched on 10 December 2025, the European Grids Package represents the EU Commission’s step to tackle connection queues. Notably, it picked up Eurelectric’s request for creative solutions to manage queues better.

In particular, the Guidance on efficient grid connections includes adopting solutions such as:

• Clarified legal alternatives to the “first-ready first-serve” principle,
• Identifying transparent maturity criteria for all connection requests
• Establishing clear project-development milestones with associated penalties for noncompliance
• Conducting regular monitoring and cleaning of the connection queues.

These measures aim to make sure Europe’s power grids can handle more electricity and renewables. They will turn today’s delays into tomorrow’s success.

Now, it is up to Member States and system operators to turn the guidance into clear national plans and actions. The implementation of these recommendations will determine the impact of grid connections.