As European electricity grids face an unprecedented double crunch, driven by rapid renewable energy integration and an explosive surge in power demand from Artificial Intelligence (AI) data centers, grid capacity has emerged as the single greatest bottleneck to digital and industrial competitiveness. With connection queues extending up to 7 to 10 years in major European hubs, the European Commission’s ETIP SNET position paper estimates that €650 billion to €900 billion in grid infrastructure investments will be required across Europe between 2026 and 2035*.
Credit: Chint Electric
Power Transformer Factory
To help utilities, grid operators, and infrastructure developers overcome these constraints, CHINT, a global leader in smart energy and transmission & distribution (T&D) solutions, will showcase its comprehensive portfolio of advanced transmission and distribution solutions at CIGRE 2026 (August 23–28, Palais des Congrès, Paris - Level 1, Booth A196). Highlighting CHINT’s presence at Level 1, Booth A196, the company will bring together industry leaders, utility executives, and grid experts and host a flagship executive roundtable titled "Grid Resilience at the Crossroads: Modernization, renewables & CBAM, A Paradigm-Shifting Grid Load driven by AI, and the New Investment Calculus".
Supporting Europe's Energy Transition with AI-Ready Grid Technologies
The CIGRE 2026 executive roundtable will tackle the physical constraints threatening Europe's energy transition. While AI algorithms and digital twin software offer unprecedented grid modeling capabilities, physical equipment upgrades, specifically power transformers, switchgear, and substations, remain the mandatory enablers for grid expansion.
"Europe has over 1,500 GW of renewable projects stuck in grid connection queues, while data center 1/4 IT load in Europe is expected to grow to 35 GW by 2030. The bottleneck is not generation capacity: it is grid capacity."
"Power infrastructure in Europe is not developing at the same pace as demand, and grid operators cannot wait a decade for concrete and steel. What customers need most are partners capable of delivering integrated, reliable, and future-ready power solutions that unlock capacity from the infrastructure they already have, supported by local execution and resilient regional supply chains," said Beibei Zheng, Vice President of CHINT Global.
Joining CHINT executives on the panel will be leading European energy analysts and grid infrastructure experts.
"The next challenge is not simply to build more grid infrastructure; it is to build a much smarter, more resilient, and more flexible grid," noted Michel Serra, President of the SuperGrid Institute.
Unlocking Grid Capacity: CHINT’s End-to-End T&D Showcase
At CIGRE 2026, CHINT is positioning its full T&D value chain to address the immediate equipment backlogs facing European Transmission System Operators (TSOs), Distribution System Operators (DSOs), and Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractors. Rather than waiting a decade for structural grid expansions, CHINT provides a simplified and integrated technology portfolio that allows operators to extract maximum capacity and stability from existing infrastructure:
- Green Power Grid & High Voltage: 1000kV low-loss and low-noise oil-immersed power transformers and 750kV natural ester oil-immersed power transformers, and SF6-free MV & HV switchgear (24kV eco-friendly RMUs, 145kV and 420kV SF6-free GIS).
- Energy Storage & Digital Infrastructure (BESS / AIDC): Cascading energy storage systems, 13.8 MW PCS-integrated substations, solid-state transformers (SSTs), semiconductor circuit breakers (SCCBs), and Data Center Power Pods.
Credit: Chint Electric
HV Switchgear Factory
World-Class T&D Engineering, trusted by European grids.
Far from a newcomer to the market, CHINT has been continuously operating in European electricity networks, establishing a deep, decade-long track record of technical compliance and operational reliability across the region.
CHINT’s high-voltage equipment is already deployed in core European utility projects, including multi-unit framework contracts in Italy (147 transformer units), high-voltage packages in France, solar and wind integration transformers in Germany and Spain, energy storage connections in Poland, as well as major transmission projects in the Netherlands, Sweden, and Greece.
To overcome the 2- to 4-year delivery backlogs currently facing European OEM procurement, CHINT leverages a global manufacturing capacity exceeding 10,000 units annually. CHINT’s high- and medium-voltage portfolio holds full independent KEMA type-test certifications, complying with stringent European IEC standards. By combining global manufacturing throughput with localized European engineering teams, CHINT delivers a 20% to 35% total-cost-of-ownership (TCO) advantage alongside significantly reduced delivery lead times.
Event Details & Media Invitation
CHINT invites utility executives, TSOs, DSOs, EPC contractors, and media representatives to attend the roundtable and visit Booth A196 to discover how next-generation T&D hardware is safeguarding Europe's energy future.
- Date: Tuesday, August 25, 2026, 4.30 pm
- Location: CIGRE 2026, Palais des Congrès, Paris — Level 1, Booth A196
- Moderator: Mathieu Leboulanger (General Manager, CHINT EEA)
Confirmed Panelists:
- Michel Serra - President, SuperGrid Institute
- Paolo Miolo - Sales & Marketing Director, KEMA Labs
- Beibei Zheng - Vice President, CHINT Global
- Dr. Naihu Li - Vice President, CHINT T&D and Head of Group R&D
*European Commission: European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency, Vale Cunha, L., Veen, A. v. d., Espinosa, B., Diran, D. et al., Unlocking the potential of AI and generative AI in European smart grids – A strategic position paper and guide for action, 2025, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2926/2996051