Members of the Utilities for Net Zero Alliance (UNEZA) installed more than 21,000 kilometres of new electricity grids in 2025, a 50% increase on the 14,000km delivered in 2024, highlighting accelerating investment in power infrastructure to support electrification and the global energy transition.

The figures were announced at COP31 in Antalya, where the 89-member alliance also revealed that its combined annual investment plans for electricity grids, renewable energy and storage have increased to at least $156 billion.

This represents a 5% increase compared with last year's plans and a 35% rise from 2024. The commitments put UNEZA members on track to mobilise more than $1 trillion in energy transition investments by 2030, measured from the alliance's launch at COP28, while more than tripling installed renewable energy capacity.

The announcement coincided with Energy Day at COP31 and UNEZA's formal backing of the COP31 Presidency's ambition to achieve a global electrification rate of 35% by 2035.

The alliance, co-chaired by Abu Dhabi National Energy Company TAQA and the UK's SSE, said its next priority would be addressing practical barriers to achieving the target, particularly grid infrastructure development, supply chain capacity and investment.

Earlier this year, UNEZA members outlined joint plans to ensure electricity grid supply chains can meet rising demand. Industry leaders agreed to improve visibility of future requirements, estimating that close to 90,000 kilometres of transmission cable would be needed by 2030.

The scale of the investment challenge remains significant.

According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), approximately $1 trillion annually is required between now and 2030 to expand and strengthen electricity grids to meet future energy system requirements.

Francesco La Camera, IRENA Director General, said: “Power grids will make or break not only the energy transition but also the world’s ambition to raise global electrification to 35% by 2035, as championed by the Turkish COP31 Presidency. IRENA’s analysis shows that global grid investment must more than double, reaching a cumulative $10 trillion by 2035. But ambition alone is not enough. We must move from targets to implementation, from individual projects to system-wide transformation, and from commitments to delivery at scale. Through UNEZA, IRENA is proud to work alongside leading power utilities and partners to turn these ambitions into concrete action, delivering the needed power grids in record time.”

Grid investment and electrification gain momentum

Martin Pibworth, Chief Executive of SSE and UNEZA co-chair, highlighted the role of electrification in improving energy affordability, security and resilience.

He said: “Clean electrification is the pathway not just to decarbonisation but to lower bills, energy security and resilience. The COP31 35-by-35 pledge sends a vital signal of intent from policymakers and the utilities community stands ready to turn political ambition into real investment and delivery on the ground, building on the significant ramp up in deployment we've delivered in the last year.”

Miguel Stilwell d'Andrade, CEO of EDP, said achieving electrification targets would require coordinated development of renewable energy, electricity grids and storage, alongside improvements in regulation and supply chains.

He said: “Electrification is essential to strengthening energy security, competitiveness and decarbonisation. UNEZA’s investment plans show that utilities are ready to deliver at scale. But ambition alone is not enough. We need renewables, grids, storage and flexibility to advance together, supported by faster permitting, stronger supply chains and effective regulation. This is how we turn electrification targets into real economic and societal benefits.”

Dan Ioschpe, Climate High-Level Champion for COP30, also stressed the importance of aligning financing, regulation and supply chains with infrastructure development.

He said: “Electrification happens when grids, generation and storage get financed and built. Since COP28, UNEZA members have kept building, reported progress every year and raised implementation. That is continuity in practice — and it is what the Global Climate Action Agenda was designed to support. Reaching the 35×35 goal now depends on regulators, supply chains and finance moving at the same pace as the utilities. That alignment is the work ahead 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.”

Alliance targets system-wide energy transition

Established under the UAE's COP28 Presidency, UNEZA was created to address bottlenecks in power system transformation and accelerate the development of infrastructure needed to support cleaner energy systems.

The alliance operates under the guidance of IRENA and the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions. Its members serve well over 320 million customers across six continents.

The latest figures highlight the growing importance of electricity networks as countries expand renewable energy capacity, increase electrification and seek to strengthen energy security.

With more than $1 trillion in planned investment by 2030, UNEZA members are aiming to accelerate grid construction, renewable energy deployment and energy storage development while supporting the COP31 Presidency's global electrification ambitions. -OGN/TradeArabia News Service