Czechia to upgrade and extend electricity network with EIB loans

• Transmission-system operator ČEPS to refurbish and extend high-voltage lines under multi-investment programme
• Project covers over 500 km of 400 kV lines, strengthening reliability of electric supply

Czechia will upgrade and expand its electricity network with a European Investment Bank (EIB) loan totalling 9.3 billion Czech korunas (around €380 million). Czech transmission system operator ČEPS a.s. will use the EIB credit to renew and extend high-voltage infrastructure across the country.

A tranche of CZK 6.8 bn was signed in Prague on Thursday. This follows an earlier tranche of CZK 2.5 bn signed last October. The ČEPS investment programme is eligible for EIB financing of up to 75% of the project cost.

The financing will support the refurbishment and addition of 400 kilovolt (kV) transmission lines by 2030. In total, the planned works will cover 509 kilometres of lines.

The project will enhance the reliability of Czechia’s electricity system by reducing the risk of outages and by strengthening the ability of state-owned ČEPS to manage changing electricity flows and future demand.

“Reinforced transmission lines are essential to maintain a robust electricity system,” said EIB Vice-President Marek Mora. “The project will bring tangible benefits for people across Czechia by improving overall network efficiency.”

“Ensuring the reliable operation of the power system and the secure delivery of electricity is our top priority. The Czech transmission system will undergo further extensive modernisation and reinforcement over the next decade. Priorities will include doubling existing transmission lines, building new substations and installing transformers. The plans also involve the refurbishment and reconstruction of older transmission corridors,” said ČEPS Chairman Martin Durčák.

EIB cooperation with ČEPS over electricity-infrastructure improvements has been taking place for several years, with financing provided for the reinforcement and modernisation of the Czech transmission grid.  

In recent years, the EIB has increased financing for grid and clean-energy projects across the European Union to advance EU goals of reducing reliance on fossil fuels, expanding renewable power and becoming climate neutral.

The EIB Group  

The European Investment Bank (ElB) Group is the long-term financing institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. In 2025, the EIB Group signed €100 billion of new financing for over 870 high-impact projects in eight core priorities that support EU policy objectives: climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and the bioeconomy, social infrastructure, strong global partnerships and the savings and investment union.In Czechia, the EIB Group signed operations worth a total of €1.93 billion last year. For more information, please visit the EIB website.

RePowerEU

The EIB loan to ČEPS advances the European Commission’s REPowerEU plan, created in response to energy-market disruptions caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The plan aims to expand clean energy and diversify energy supplies. REPowerEU sets out a series of measures to reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels, accelerate the green transition and increase energy-system resilience across the EU. The measures include finding alternative energy supplies, making behavioural changes to save energy and spurring investment in renewable energy.