EU Announces Complete "Severance" of Energy Dependence on Russia, Cybersecurity Large Model for Power Industry Officially Deployed
（2025/05/05—2025/05/11）
Author：Hao-Wang
International Energy News
1. EU Grid Requires Trillion-Dollar Upgrade
On May 5th, the European Power Industry Association warned that last week’s major blackout in Europe served as a wake-up call, underscoring the urgent and unavoidable need to modernize and reinforce the continent’s power grids. Most of the EU’s grid infrastructure was constructed in the last century, with half of its power lines exceeding 40 years in age. As low-carbon energy production expands and demand from data centers and electric vehicles surges, a comprehensive overhaul of the grid has become critical. This modernization must also include enhanced digital safeguards to counter cyber threats. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), annual grid investments must double to over $600 billion by 2030 to cover essential maintenance. Europe’s aging grid and inadequate energy storage capacity are expected to demand trillions of dollars in funding to accommodate growing green energy output, rising electricity consumption, and prevent future blackouts.
2. EU Announces Complete "Severance" of Energy Dependence on Russia
On May 6th, the European Union unveiled the Re-empowering EU Roadmap, declaring a complete cutoff of energy ties with Russia by 2027. According to the plan, the EU has set 2027 as the final deadline for all 27 member states—spanning landlocked nations to coastal countries—to phase out purchases of remaining Russian energy supplies, particularly liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments. The phase-out will occur in stages. First, by the end of 2025, new short-term contracts will be banned. In the second phase, long-term contracts, which account for two-thirds of Russian gas supplies, will be terminated by the end of 2027. Additional restrictions will target Russia’s “shadow fleet” of vessels covertly transporting oil and halt imports of Russian uranium and other nuclear materials. Each member state will also be required to draft a national plan detailing how it intends to eliminate Russian gas, nuclear energy, and oil from its energy mix.
3. Global Renewable Energy Capacity Surges in 2024
In 2024, global renewable energy installed capacity increased by 15.1%, primarily driven by solar power. However, maintaining a growth rate of at least 16.6% is required to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030 and meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. Meanwhile, long-standing global imbalances persist: Asia contributed the most to new capacity additions (over two-thirds), largely fueled by China, and now accounts for more than half of the world’s renewable energy capacity. At the other extreme, Central America and the Caribbean contributed just 3.2% of new installations. Europe added 70.1 gigawatts (GW) of renewable capacity (9% growth), bolstered significantly by Germany’s expansion. North America increased its renewable capacity by 45.9 GW (8.7%) through a series of new projects. In contrast, Small Island Developing States (SIDS) accounted for only 0.2% of global capacity, with their new capacity additions in 2024 falling below the previous year’s levels. Most of SIDS’growth came from the Dominican Republic and Singapore.
Domestic Energy News
1. Cybersecurity Large Model for Power Industry Officially Deployed
On May 7th, the Cybersecurity Attack-Defense and Monitoring Team at the China Electric Power Research Institute announced the official deployment of the country’s first cybersecurity large model tailored for the power industry. The model focuses on five critical application scenarios: cybersecurity monitoring, intelligence analysis, risk detection, code analysis, and security operations. It has evolved into a comprehensive intelligent cybersecurity platform capable of delivering customized, AI-driven solutions for diverse security challenges. During major events such as the Asian Winter Games and the National "Two Sessions," the model supported cybersecurity experts by leveraging its first-response vulnerability validation agents, intelligence analysis agents, and attack-defense Q&A agents. These tools assisted in intelligent threat monitoring, vulnerability identification, and remediation efforts, marking a significant step in applying large-scale AI models to real-world cybersecurity operations.
2. Private Capital Now Holds 20% Equity Stake in Nuclear Power Projects
On May 8th, China’s State Council Information Office held a press conference, announcing that with the implementation of the Private Economy Promotion Law and its supporting policies, private capital has deepened its involvement in national major projects. Currently, private investors hold up to a 20% equity stake in some nuclear power projects, marking significant breakthroughs for private enterprises in the energy sector. These figures demonstrate that private capital is steadily becoming a vital force in advancing national strategic initiatives. The government encourages private businesses to invest in emerging and future industries, lead national major technological research projects, access research infrastructure and industrial technology platforms equally, and actively participate in innovating and building application scenarios for new technologies and products.
3. Virtual Power Plants Set for Large-Scale Deployment
China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the National Energy Administration (NEA) jointly issued the Guidelines on Accelerating the Development of Virtual Power Plants (VPPs), proposing that by 2030, VPP application scenarios will be further expanded, innovative business models will emerge, and the nationwide regulation capacity of VPPs will exceed 50 gigawatts. Unlike traditional power plants, virtual power plants represent an innovative energy model based on digital technologies and smart energy management systems. Compared to conventional energy projects, VPPs require relatively lower capital investment, offer flexible operations, and demonstrate high market adaptability, making them suitable for private enterprises to leverage their strengths through participation. With the government’s clear recognition of VPPs as independent operational entities, the sector is poised to enter a phase of rapid development.
(Main news sources: CCTVNEWS APP, Xinhua New Media, International Energy Network, China Energy Network, National Energy Administration, China Energy News, World Economic Forum)
