Greece’s aging power grid blamed for catastrophic wildfires

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day, reviewed by our editorial team. Read the full piece on POLITICO or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Greece’s aging electricity grid is emerging as a major contributor to its most destructive wildfires
• Preliminary data indicate grid-related fires account for around 75% of land burned in 2026, despite representing a much smaller share of total fire incidents

🔭 The context: Much of Greece’s overhead network was installed decades ago and crosses increasingly fire-prone rural areas
• Loose lines, vegetation contact and equipment faults can create sparks during high winds and periods of peak electricity demand
• Greece is expanding underground cabling, but investment remains limited

🌍 Why it matters for the plant: As extreme heat, drought and fire weather intensify, vulnerable infrastructure can amplify climate-related wildfire risks
• Preventive investment in resilient grids, including targeted underground cabling, could reduce ignition risks and limit environmental damage, while protecting communities and critical infrastructure

⏭️ What’s next: The government plans tighter rules for private power projects and is using EU recovery funding to expand underground cabling
• Experts are calling for better data on grid vulnerabilities so limited funds can be directed toward the highest-risk areas

💬 One quote: "Statistically speaking, the majority of fires may not start from the power grid, but these are the ones that cause the most major, devastating fires." - Elias Tziritis, WWF Greece

📈 One stat: €35 billion is the estimated cost of burying Greece’s entire 120,000-kilometre medium-voltage network, according to government figures

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