{
  "id": 19577414,
  "title": "Global Power Grid Expansion Surges 50% to Record High",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/12/global-power-grid-expansion-surges-50-to-record-high",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-11-12T00:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "OilPrice",
    "slug": "oilprice",
    "url": "https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Global-Power-Grid-Expansion-Surges-50-to-Record-High.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Global power grid expansion has surged by 50% to set a record high, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) reporting at COP31. This growth in transmission lines is a crucial factor in achieving the goal of raising global electrification to 35% by 2035. Francesco La Camera, IRENA's director-general, emphasized that global grid investment must more than double, reaching a cumulative USD 10 trillion by 2035. He stressed that ambition alone is insufficient and that a shift from targets to implementation and system-wide transformation is necessary. Transmission lines are a significant obstacle in the energy transition, particularly for intermittent wind and solar installations. The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that utilities need to add or replace about 50 million kilometers of transmission lines by 2040 to meet Paris Agreement commitments. However, funding these expansions poses a challenge, with the European Union alone needing to invest between $2 trillion and $2.3 trillion in grid upgrades by 2050. Energy security is gaining prominence over climate concerns, leading some countries to prioritize electrification, such as replacing hydrocarbon imports with local energy sources. This shift may result in lower emissions, though it does not align with the intended goal.",
  "summary": "Utilities built a total of over 21,000 km of new transmission lines last year, the International Renewable Energy Agency reported this week at COP31, citing data from a group called the Utilities for Net Zero Alliance. This is 50% more than the new transmission lines installed during the previous year, IRENA noted in its report. “Power grids will make or break not only the energy transition but…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}