Threats to a stable power supply and secure data networks in times of increasing digitalisation and vulnerability

Question for written answer  E-001067/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Christine Anderson (ID)

Scientists have drawn attention to the increasing risks to the economy and society in terms of security of electricity supply and connectivity and threats in the areas of artificial intelligence and hacking attacks, and have also suggested potential solutions[1].

• 1.What is the Commission’s assessment of the risks of blackouts and the impact of data network failures, in light of increasing digitalisation and interconnectivity in the areas of digital currencies and means of payment, e-cars and e-health?
• 2.How does the Commission view the fact that large developed countries in the EU are increasingly relying on decentralised and unstable electricity supply from wind and photovoltaics, moving away from the stable supply offered by nuclear and coal-fired power plants?
• 3.What is the Commission’s assessment of the near power outage and disruption of the EU electricity grid at the beginning of 2021, and what measures have been taken since then to prevent such an incident[2] from happening in the future?

• [1] https://www.heise.de/news/Energiesysteme-Akademien-warnen-vor-Blackouts-durch-KI-und-Hacker-5049083.html
• [2] https://www.handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/energie/handelsblatt-energie-gipfel-kurz-vor-blackout-europas-stromnetz-waere-im-januar-fast-zusammengebrochen/26820168.html