For a long time, the grid was expanded to keep pace with consumption. This is no longer the case: today, changes in the electricity mix are the main driver of network growth. In its current state, the network has sufficient capacity to manage foreseeable trends in power demand the next 10-15 years, but considerable changes will be needed to adapt it to the mix the Multiannual Energy Programme calls for in 2035 (especially the fivefold increase in wind and solar capacity over 15 years, the decommissioning of 12 nuclear reactors in addition to the two at Fessenheim, and the closure of coal-fired plants).
In the near term, adaptations at the margins will suffice to accommodate new renewable energy capacity. Solutions based on the use of smart grids and optimal dimensioning of the network will make it possible to use existing infrastructure in an optimal way.
Over the longer term, structural modifications of the grid will be necessary. The technical solutions required are being carefully analysed and will depend on a variety of factors, including the nature of the new generation capacity to be connected and its geographic location.