3.6.2022
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
L 152/91
ANNEX II
ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE CATEGORIES
The energy infrastructure categories to be developed in order to implement the energy infrastructure priorities set out in Annex I shall be the following: (1) concerning electricity: (a) high and extra-high voltage overhead transmission lines, crossing a border or within a Member State territory including the exclusive economic zone, if they have been designed for a voltage of 220 kV or more, and underground and submarine transmission cables, if they have been designed for a voltage of 150 kV or more.
For Member States and small isolated systems with a lower voltage overall transmission system, those voltage thresholds are equal to the highest voltage level in their respective electricity systems; (b) any equipment or installation falling under energy infrastructure category referred to in point (a) enabling transmission of offshore renewable electricity from the offshore generation sites (energy infrastructure for offshore renewable electricity); (c) energy storage facilities, in individual or aggregated form, used for storing energy on a permanent or temporary basis in above-ground or underground infrastructure or geological sites, provided they are directly connected to high-voltage transmission lines and distribution lines designed for a voltage of 110 kV or more.
For Member States and small isolated systems with a lower voltage overall transmission system, those voltage thresholds are equal to the highest voltage level in their respective electricity systems; (d) any equipment or installation essential for the systems referred to in points (a), (b) and (c) to operate safely, securely and efficiently, including protection, monitoring and control systems at all voltage levels and substations; (e) smart electricity grids: any equipment or installation, digital systems and components integrating information and communication technologies (ICT), through operational digital platforms, control systems and sensor technologies both at transmission and medium and high voltage distribution level, aiming to ensure a more efficient and intelligent electricity transmission and distribution network, increased capacity to integrate new forms of generation, energy storage and consumption and facilitating new business models and market structures, including investments in islands and island systems to decrease energy isolation, to support innovative and other solutions involving at least two Member States with a significant positive impact on the Union’s 2030 targets for energy and climate and its 2050 climate neutrality objective, and to contribute significantly to the sustainability of the island energy system and that of the Union; (f) any equipment or installation falling under energy infrastructure category referred to in point (a) having dual functionality: interconnection and offshore grid connection system from the offshore renewable generation sites to two or more Member States and third countries participating in projects on the Union list, including the onshore prolongation of this equipment up to the first substation in the onshore transmission system, as well as any offshore adjacent equipment or installation essential to operate safely, securely and efficiently, including protection, monitoring and control systems, and necessary substations if they also ensure technology interoperability, inter alia, interface compatibility between various technologies (offshore grids for renewable energy); (2) concerning smart gas grids: any of the following equipment or installation aiming to enable and facilitate the integration of a plurality of low-carbon and particularly renewable gases, including biomethane or hydrogen, into the gas network: digital systems and components integrating ICT, control systems and sensor technologies to enable the interactive and intelligent monitoring, metering, quality control and management of gas production, transmission, distribution, storage and consumption within a gas network.
Furthermore, such projects may also include equipment to enable reverse flows from the distribution to the transmission level, including the related physical upgrades if indispensable to the functioning of the equipment and installations for integration of low-carbon and particularly renewable gases;