Over the past 15 years, we have witnessed electricity market integration, synchronisation efforts, expanding membership, and the foundation of an efficient and reliable power system for the whole of Europe. Today, ENTSO-E brings together 40 electricity transmission system operators (TSOs) from 36 European countries, including EU members and interconnected countries.
The association’s history is rooted in the visionary aim of enhancing cooperation among European TSOs to deliver on their public service mandates. Since its creation, ENTSO-E has evolved into an organisation that has been given its own European mandates, and that is recognised as a driver of the energy transition.
“From the 1950s, European countries started interconnecting with one another to improve system stability and to allow for electricity trade. There was a clear need to work hand-in-hand to manage these synchronous interconnections. This is how power system cooperation emerged, well before the creation of the EU internal energy market. A strong spirit of cooperation comes from this shared past, and still unites all TSOs to this day,” explained Damian Cortinas, Chair of the Board of ENTSO-E.
Over the years, as the electricity market landscape evolved, the need to further formalise cooperation among TSOs became more obvious. After decades of voluntary cooperation, the Third Energy Package – a landmark in the evolution of EU electricity regulations – mandated the establishment of a legal framework for TSOs to form an institution to represent their voice.
Our dual mission has two overarching goals: to prepare a power system fit for a carbon-neutral Europe, and to continue to manage a power system that is secure and efficient, contributing to Europe’s security and competitiveness.
Zbyněk Boldiš, ENTSO-E President, recalls: “The first steps of ENTSO-E can be traced back to my hometown, Prague. In June 2008, we gathered in Strahov Monastery, where the founding TSOs signed the intention to establish ENTSO-E. What still impresses me after all these years, is the determination of all the TSOs to establish one single organisation to unite our efforts. This has enabled us to achieve together what we had previously pursued separately.”
Regulations based on technical expertise
After formally becoming operational on 1 July 2009, ENTSO-E was directly mandated with key tasks, including drafting Network Codes and preparing the trans-European Ten-Year Network Development Plans (TYNDP). Today, TYNDP serves as a basis for selecting the most important crossborder energy infrastructure projects, known as European Projects of Common Interest (PCIs).
The successful publication of the first EU Electricity Network Codes and Guidelines were one of ENTSO-E’s significant milestones. They underscore the association’s technical expertise and public service dimension, translating complex technical input into legally binding regulations. They also showcase the excellent cooperation among TSOs from the whole interconnected system.
Since 2021, cybersecurity has become a new focus area for ENTSO-E. Its efforts to enhance digital security led the European Commission to adopt the first Network Code on Cybersecurity in March 2024. Another recent priority is ensuring the integration of demand-side flexibility resources into the energy system. The Network Code on Demand Response, developed together with the DSO Entity, was submitted to ACER in May 2024.
Solidarity in the TSO community
Since its founding, ENTSO-E has facilitated several synchronisation projects with the Continental European Synchronous Area: from the synchronisation of Turkey in 2010, to that of Ukraine and Moldova in 2022, to the upcoming one of the Baltic states in 2025.
While these projects differ in their geopolitical context as well as in their technical and organisational challenges, they also share a common denominator: a strong solidarity in the TSO community and a shared belief that collective work benefits everyone.
An evolving membership reflecting geopolitical challenges
Since ENTSO-E’s creation, two major events marked the geopolitical scene in Europe, as well as the development of the association: Brexit and the invasion of Ukraine.
Following Brexit, due to the terms of the UK-EU withdrawal agreement, three of ENTSO-E’s founding members from Great Britain had to leave the association in 2022. Northern Ireland’s SONI, however, remained in the association.
“Losing our British members for political reasons was a negative step in the history of our association. I do hope that, eventually, this situation can be reversed,” explained Zbyněk Boldiš.
While ENTSO-E unfortunately lost some members, it gained new ones. TEAIS, the Turkish TSO, became an observer member in 2015, and again in 2022. Moldelectrica, the TSO from Moldova, was granted an observer membership in 2023. Ukrenergo, the Ukrainian TSO, signed an observer membership agreement with ENTSO-E in April 2022. As the latest step of integration in the ENTSO-E family, Ukrenergo became the 40th full member in January 2024.
Tahir Kapetanovic, Vice-Chair of ENTSO-E’s Board, remembers the extraordinary steps preceding this: “In February 2022, we did an islanding test with Ukraine and Moldova. The very night that Ukraine was to be reconnected to Russia, Russian tanks crossed their border. On the 27 February, we got a letter from Ukraine asking us for emergency synchronisation; the following day, we got the same request from Moldavia. What happened between 28 February and 16 March is, I think, despite the tragedy of war, the biggest success story of Europeans and European power system engineers - including the Ukrainians and Moldovans.”
This highlights the association’s commitment to strengthening cooperation among TSOs to foster security and resilience.
A driver of the energy transition
ENTSO-E’s members are committed to the security and stability of the pan-European interconnected power system, keeping the lights on for over 500 million European citizens every second of every day.
But beyond this key role, the association has also become a major actor in facilitating the energy transition. The ‘Fit for 55’ package stressed the urgent need to adapt transmission grids to an increasing share of climate-dependent sources of energy. Indeed, grid infrastructure is central to the future energy landscape and the European economy.
“Our dual mission can be translated into two overarching goals: to prepare a power system fit for a carbon-neutral Europe, and in the process, to continue to manage a power system that is secure and efficient, contributing to the security and competitiveness of the Continent. These are embedded in our Vision paper, ‘A Power System fit for a Carbon Neutral Europe’, as well as our Strategic Roadmap,” explains Damian Cortinas.
At the start of this new EU legislative cycle, ENTSO-E has identified nine priority actions to achieve the common goals of both TSOs and decision makers. These focus on enhancing regulatory frameworks, strengthening our supply chain, prioritising energy efficiency, meeting system flexibility and adequacy needs, scaling up EU funding, finalising the energy market design, and reinforcing system security.
Sonya Twohig, Secretary-General of ENTSO-E, says: “It is of utmost importance to work with our stakeholders and partners to build together a secure, reliable and sustainable electricity network. We are committed to serving European consumers and to address the opportunities and the challenges for the electricity network of tomorrow.”
A strong foundation to build our future
Reflecting on the evolution of the association, Asta Sihvonen-Punkka, Vice-President of ENTSO-E, says: “I feel proud of the organisation that ENTSO-E has become. We have a real vision, excellent relations with our stakeholders, and thanks to our expertise, we are a valued partner in the European discussions related to the European electricity system and its future.”
Damian Cortinas concluded: “Our history is important because it shows where we come from and gives us a strong foundation to build our future. Looking ahead, ENTSO-E and our member TSOs will continue to deliver on our public service missions to achieve a secure and efficient power system fit for a competitive and carbon-neutral European economy.”