CIGRE 2026: Building power grids for a new age of electrification

The world is entering a new age of electricity, and the race is on to build the grids that will power it. The challenge is no longer to imagine the grid of the future. It is to build it quickly, at scale and through coordinated action across the entire electricity value chain.

This was the core message at the CIGRE 2026 Paris Session, where more than 15,000 experts from 100 countries gathered along with 330 exhibitors. 

A €600bn–a–year grid imperative

PARIS, Sept. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Electrification of transport, industry and buildings, the integration of renewables and the surge in data–center demand are pushing power systems to their limits. To keep pace, the IEA estimates that annual electricity grid investment must increase by around 50%, from about USD 400 billion today to roughly USD 600 billion per year by 2030.

Yet delivery times remain a major bottleneck. In China, an extra–high–voltage line can be permitted and built in about 1.5 years; in India, around three years. In Europe and the United States, similar projects often take eight to ten years or more (Source IEA).

One Grid for the energy transition

The energy transition will succeed only if the grid of tomorrow is developed, operated, and governed as one integrated system.

This "One Grid" approach requires all stakeholders to work together from the earliest stages of infrastructure planning and delivery:

• Transmission and distribution system operators must coordinate network development and system operation.
• Utilities, manufacturers and technology providers must scale up equipment, innovation and industrial capacity.
• Regulators and public authorities must create stable frameworks that enable investment while ensuring affordability and public acceptance.

"No plan B, no planet B," said Konstantin O. Papailiou, President of CIGRE, calling for collective action to build the power systems of the future. 

No electrification without skills

Infrastructure and capital are not enough. The sector also faces a widening skills gap, with strong competition for engineers, technicians and digital specialists. Attracting and training qualified people is now critical for delivering electrification on time.

Around eight million people are employed worldwide in constructing, maintaining and operating power grids, but the IEA estimates that the sector will need an additional 1.5 million workers by 2030.

CIGRE is addressing this through its technical working groups and the CIGRE Fund for Innovation and Education, which supports research, scholarships and training worldwide.

Powering the future together

Invited to the FIERE (Filière Industrielle des Entreprises des Réseaux Électriques) event, Mr. Martin, the French Minister of Industry, visited the CIGRE exhibition. The Minister highlighted the importance of cooperation in delivering the current electrification wave and recalled that the first CIGRE conference was held in Paris in 1921.

More than a century later, CIGRE continues to bring together the full electricity community to address shared societal, industrial and environmental challenges.

As the world enters the new age of electricity, one conclusion stands out: one grid, one industry, one challenge—and a shared responsibility to build the power system that will enable the energy transition.

About CIGRE

CIGRE is a non-profit and independent organization established 100 years ago to support the development of electricity. With 25,000 members in over 140 countries, combining local expertise with global vision, the CIGRE community integrates all players in the electricity value chain.

It brings together researchers, engineers, suppliers, regulators, and other decision makers, all committed to sharing knowledge and collaborating to ensure a reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity supply for all.

By offering access to working groups, state-of-the-art technical publications, and world-class events such as the Paris Session, CIGRE helps its members consolidate their expertise, develop practical recommendations and find innovative solutions.

Over the years, CIGRE has continuously adapted to the incredible growth of the electricity sector. Today, as electricity penetrates every aspect of life (homes, mobility, healthcare, industry…), CIGRE meets current societal and environmental challenges, positioning itself as a key enabler of the energy transition.

More information: CIGRE Press Kit / Picture of the event / CIGRE 2026 video

SOURCE CIGRE