Power of Participation: Advancing public engagement in grid planning

Power of Participation

As the energy transition accelerates, it becomes ever more essential to involve the public and other stakeholders in shaping Europe’s electricity grid infrastructure. To that end, the Renewables Grid Initiative (RGI), the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Energy (DG ENER), and the EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) hosted “Power of Participation” — a full-day, in-person workshop in Brussels on 23 October 2025.

This workshop advanced the Pact for Engagement, a cross-sectoral commitment launched in 2023 to embed early, regular and meaningful stakeholder engagement in electricity grid projects across Europe. The workshop spotlighted the progress in developing Public Engagement Plans (PEPs) — emerging tools designed to embed structured public involvement in electricity grid development across voltage levels.

Attendees heard insights from policymakers, regulators, grid operators and academics on how these plans are taking shape, which challenges they face, and the way forward. The workshop’s agenda included panel debates, hands-on exchanges, and discussions on measuring engagement effectiveness and enhancing local benefit schemes.

Participants also explored a dedicated Best Practice Fair, featuring half a dozen innovative approaches to community engagement and benefit sharing. Pitched by practitioners and showcased throughout the day, these initiatives highlighted practical, replicable ways to connect grid development with local values and interests — going beyond financial compensation to build lasting trust.

This workshop was an opportunity for policymakers, regulators, civil society, researchers and electricity grid operators to shape the future of stakeholder engagement in Europe’s electricity system and contribute to the progress of the Pact for Engagement.