Eurelectric announces new presidency with Fortum CEO at the helm

Europe’s electricity industry association Eurelectric has announced a new presidency, consisting of Markus Rauramo as president alongside vice-presidents Catherine MacGregor and Georgios Stassis.

Rauramo is currently CEO of Finnish state-owned energy company Fortum; MacGregor is chief executive officer (CEO) of French multinational electric utility company Engie; and Stassis is chairman and CEO of Public Power Corporation (PPC), the largest electric power company in Greece.

Eurelectric says their new presidency team will continue to foster broad consensus within the industry, seek common ground with consumers of all sizes and engage in structured dialogue with policymakers.

To support its vision, the new presidency will also initiate state-of-the-art research in the areas of electrification, energy security and digital transformation to inform the debate and support policymakers.

Saud Rauramo in a release: “This is no time for hesitation.

“We must electrify to decarbonise, industrialise to compete, and digitalise to lead. Let us match our ambition with action – and build a secure and resilient Europe that leads, not follows, in the age of clean power. Our industry is committed to working closely with our customers to deliver affordable, reliable and clean electricity at scale and at speed.”

Added MacGregor: “Europe’s resilience depends on a secure, decarbonised and reliable power system. In a world of rising uncertainties, energy security requires continuous learning and frequent adaptation. Our industry is fully committed to investing in clean energy and further enhancing cross-border cooperation to safeguard our electricity supply.”

Said Stassis: “Europe’s energy system must be future-proofed through intelligent power.

“As digitalisation and AI reshape the way we produce, manage, and consume electricity, the power sector has a unique opportunity to lead this transformation. By embracing digital innovation, we can position Europe at the forefront of the global clean-tech and AI revolution – while building an energy system that is secure, efficient, and ready for the future”

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Presidency manifesto

According to the Brussels-based association, the new presidency team brings a united and ambitious vision to anchor clean electrification while strengthening Europe’s industrial competitiveness and energy security. They also look to explore the benefits of the digital transformation and AI for a clean, competitive and secure future.

To this end, with the new presidency the association also released its 2025-2027 Presidency Manifesto, listing three strategic priorities: customer-driven electrification to boost industrial competitiveness; energy security and security of supply for resilience; and digital transformation.

Priority 1: Clean electrification to facilitate competitiveness and growth for customers and European industries

According to the association’s manifesto, electrification is critical to restoring industrial competitiveness, accelerating economic growth and achieving climate neutrality. However, they add, progress across Europe has been too slow.

Under this priority, the association lists the following key areas of focus:

• Develop and implement a robust, ambitious and collaborative Electrification Action Plan, supported by decisive policies that address both energy consumers and producers’ needs.

• Accelerate targeted financing for electrification projects and develop de-risking instruments to unlock long-term, capital-intensive partnerships between customers and the energy sector.

• Streamline permitting processes by reducing bureaucratic hurdles and prioritising grid connections for industrial electrification projects.

• Implement a fit-for-purpose energy taxation system that is aligned with climate goals and non-discriminatory of clean technologies and energy vectors.

• Secure a robust grid investment framework for a well-interconnected and cross-border pan-European electricity network that facilitates rapid electrification and delivers costeffective and affordable power to the customers.

• Build on the existing robust market design and implement the Electricity Market Design legislation and associated EU financial regulation, with a specific focus on liquid, well interconnected EU-wide power markets and unlocking flexibility across production, storage and consumption.

Priority 2: Energy security and security of supply to strengthen Europe’s resilience

Eurelectric says that resource adequacy and security of supply need to be maintained at all times in an increasingly weather-dependent and decentralised system.

They list the following key areas of focus:

• Establish physical and cybersecurity strategies, continuity plans and regular rehearsal of crisis management procedures and foster cooperation and voluntary action—across borders as well as between authorities, governmental agencies, businesses and third sector organisations.

• Foster diversification of critical imports for, e.g. fuels, technologies, materials and components and development of relevant European supply chains.

• Review the EU’s energy security architecture based on a global systemic approach to reflect today’s geopolitical realities and related risks, energy system electrification and climate impacts.

• Implement the Electricity Market Design legislation, that is market-based and technology neutral, and that addresses all system needs including system adequacy, secures timely investments in renewable and low-carbon electricity, and ensures infrastructure resilience by allocating resources efficiently across the value chain.

Priority 3: Intelligent power to drive the European digital opportunity and futureproof Europe’s energy system

Eurelectric cites the step change in the capabilities of AI, fuelled by major technical innovations, the explosion of available data and decrease in computational costs.

To fully embrace this opportunity offered by digitalisation, they say that the European power sector needs to scale digital technologies to optimise system performance, unlock innovation and future-proof Europe’s energy infrastructure.

They list the following key areas of focus:

• Showcase and drive deployment of digital and AI technologies to optimise the operations of the power sector, including empowering consumers, unlocking flexibility and enhancing interconnectivity of the European power markets.

• Continue to digitalise European energy infrastructure to enable deployment of the advanced digital and AI applications, maintaining particular focus on cybersecurity and data interoperability in AI-driven energy systems.

• Facilitate European digital and AI development and the associated economic growth without putting pressure on our residential, commercial and industrial customers.

• Drive the development of a strategic roadmap for digitalisation and AI in the energy sector and contribute to the alignment of policies and frameworks that sit at the intersection of energy and AI, aiming to foster digital transformation, European competitiveness and energy transition.