TECHNOLOGY FOCUS Sustainability FROM GLOBALISATION TO REGIONALISATION
their European customers’ information in the continent.
Vijay Mahadevan, Executive Managing Director Europe & Chief Operations Officer, Nexans, explains how the energy transformation means that Europe’s electrification future will be built closer to home
F
or years, the conversation around electrification in Europe has been framed by ambition and sustainability. There has been a long-term focus on
net zero targets, renewable integration, and the promise of a fully connected energy system. Yet what is often underestimated is the sheer scale of transformation required to make this vision a reality. The truth is that Europe’s energy networks
were not built for the world we are entering. What is more, there is yet to be enough long term planning to ensure energy is renewable. Much of the grid infrastructure across the continent is nearly four decades old. These systems were designed for an energy model that rested on centralised generation, predictable demand, and limited volatility.
While that is no longer the case, these older systems are under even more strain, as they must now also absorb renewable energy at scale. They also need to support the rapid growth of data centres and gigafactories, as well as withstand increasing climate-related disruption, such as extreme weather events and sudden spikes in demand. The result is that reliability and security are no longer guaranteed. Recent blackouts across Europe are not isolated incidents. They are signals that ageing infrastructure is being pushed beyond its limits and energy is not being renewed to help lighten the load. Electrification goes beyond expanding capacity, with new investments needed to strengthen the foundations of the grid itself. The challenge is to achieve a reliable,
renewable and secure energy infrastructure. Increasingly, this reality is being reshaped by a fundamental shift, with many of the world’s leading companies switching from globalisation to regionalisation.
24 September 2026 | Automation While much of the public and investor
focus remains on large-scale transmission projects, particularly subsea interconnections, the real pressure point lies elsewhere. Medium voltage networks, which form the backbone of electricity distribution, are emerging as a critical bottleneck. These networks are not only ageing, but also increasingly complex to upgrade. Unlike transmission, which is planned over long- time horizons, medium voltage infrastructure requires coordinated, medium-term planning with distribution system operators (DSOs). It must also adapt to highly regionalised specifications, regulatory requirements, and usage patterns. In other words, electrification at this level is not a one-size-fits-all scenario. At the same time, demand is accelerating. The rise of data centres, industrial electrification, and urban expansion is placing pressure on distribution networks. Perhaps the most profound change shaping electrification today is the move away from globalised models towards regional resilience. For years, critical digital infrastructure has been concentrated on a handful of global hubs. But recent geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, and security concerns are driving a reassessment. National and regional governments are increasingly asking: Where is our data stored? How secure is it? And how dependent are we on external systems? Across Europe, data centres and gigafactories are no longer confined to a few established locations. They are expanding into the Nordics, Spain, Germany and beyond. All these locations are closer to where data is generated and consumed, as American companies move to store
This shift also has direct implications for electrification. More regionalised data infrastructure means more regionalised energy demand. It requires robust, reliable power networks at a regional level. These networks must be capable of supporting high-density, high-availability operations. In simple terms, as the dependency on data becomes more regional, so must the energy infrastructure that carries it. In this evolving landscape, reliability is becoming the defining metric of success. Electrification cannot succeed if power supply is intermittent or vulnerable. Every outage reinforces that resilience must be built into the system from the ground up.
This is driving a new wave of investment, particularly in grid renewal and reinforcement. It is also changing how the industry thinks about operations. Operational excellence has always been about efficiency, but there are other aspects that must not be taken for granted. Anticipating risk, managing complexity, and ensuring continuity in an increasingly unpredictable environment is essential to building trustworthy and reliable infrastructure. What is more, digitalisation has a role to play here. Predictive models, data sharing, and smarter network management can help extend the life of existing infrastructure and identify potential points of failure before they occur. But technology is not the sole answer. It must be combined with long-term planning, closer collaboration between stakeholders, and a willingness to rethink how infrastructure is designed and deployed. The shift towards regionalisation does not mean the end of international collaboration. The future of electrification will be built through both global networks, as well as stronger, more resilient regional systems that are designed to meet specific regional needs while contributing to a broader European framework. For industry, this represents both a challenge and an opportunity. This shift requires a deeper understanding
of regional markets, closer engagement with partners, and the ability to deliver tailored solutions at scale. It also opens the door to a more robust, flexible, and secure energy system; one that is better equipped to support Europe’s long-term ambitions.
Nexans
www.nexans.com
automationmagazine.co.uk
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