Overview
This report covers parliamentary questions (PQs) and Commission responses published during the timeframe of 09.08.2026 till 16.08.2026. The key themes addressed in this period include the cost and compensation mechanisms for renewable energy curtailment, regulatory compliance for cross-border grid infrastructure under EU environmental directives, and the scrutiny of massive State aid allocations for offshore wind energy compared to nuclear power investments. In total, 3 PQs are covered in this report, of which 1 has been answered and 2 remain pending.
❓ Redispatching and Grid Incentives
E-002988/2026 was submitted by Moritz Körner (Renew) on 15 July 2026. The question addresses the scale of renewable energy curtailment due to redispatching in Germany, noting that 9.38 TWh of electricity was curtailed in 2025 at a compensation cost of approximately EUR 434.5 million€434.5MCited figure. The MEP asks the Commission to provide comparative data on curtailment and costs for all other Member States in 2025, assess the German compensation framework, and evaluate how compensating operators for curtailed electricity creates effective incentives for necessary grid infrastructure development. A response from the Commission is pending.
❗ Environmental Impact of Alpine Power Lines
E-002351/2026 focuses on the application of the Alpine Convention and EU environmental laws to major overhead electricity lines (note: submission date and MEP details are not provided in the source document). In a response on 12 August 2026, Commissioner Roswall clarified that while the EU has not ratified all Alpine Convention protocols, the Energy Protocol forms part of Union law. She emphasised that overhead electricity lines above 220 kV and longer than 15 km require an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to evaluate effects under the Birds and Habitats Directives. The Commissioner underlined that Member States hold primary responsibility for assessing such Projects of Common Interest and ensuring compliance with both EU law and the Alpine Convention.
❓ State Aid for French Offshore Wind Capacity
E-003127/2026 was submitted by François-Xavier Bellamy (PPE), Isabelle Le Callennec (PPE), and Christophe Gomart (PPE) on 24 July 2026. The MEPs question the Commission’s 13 July 2026 decision to unconditionally authorise up to EUR 63 billion€63BCited figure in French State aid for 11 GW of offshore wind capacity. They contrast this rapid approval with the in-depth investigation launched into France’s new European Pressurised Reactor. The core question asks whether such massive public funding for intermittent energy in a country with surplus decarbonised electricity is justifiable under State aid rules, and whether wind power better serves energy security and competitiveness goals than new nuclear infrastructure. A response from the Commission is pending.
