France in the dark, Poland blows in the wind – energy events review for May 2025

May 2025 was full of groundbreaking and disturbing events in the European energy sector. France was hit by serious acts of sabotage, which caused power outages for hundreds of thousands of recipients. At the same time, Poland intensified its activities to support Ukraine's energy supply and continued the development of renewable energy sources, an example of which is the commencement of construction of the world's largest wind tower factory in Szczecin. Changes also cover the gas market - both in the context of the end of price freezes in Poland and the rising costs of replenishing storage facilities throughout the European Union.

This review presents the most important energy events of recent weeks that are shaping the future of the sector in Europe.

• Energy sabotage in France. In May, France experienced two major power outages that cut off power to more than 200,000 homes. The first incident occurred in Cannes, where a substation was set on fire and a high-voltage line was damaged. The second incident occurred in Nice, where the energy infrastructure was also deliberately damaged. Anarchist groups claimed responsibility for the first attack. French authorities are treating the incidents as acts of sabotage and are investigating the matter.
• Diversification of gas supplies to Ukraine. Poland continues to support Ukraine in the diversification of gas supplies. The current technical and commercial conditions of the national transmission network allow for assistance to Ukraine in ensuring continuous gas supplies. Poland has increased the capacity to transmit gas to Ukraine, which is important in the context of the ongoing war and the need for Ukraine to become independent from supplies from Russia.
• The end of the gas price freeze in Poland. As of June 30, 2025, the maximum gas price will cease to apply in Poland, which means that the rates will be released. This decision may affect the bills of recipients, especially in the context of rising prices of the raw material on European markets. This change may lead to an increase in prices for households and businesses.
• Construction of the world's largest wind tower factory in Szczecin. On May 28, 2025, the cornerstone for the construction of the world's largest wind tower factory was laid in Szczecin. The investment by the Spanish company Windar Renovables aims to produce towers for offshore wind turbines and will create about 450 jobs. This plant is of key importance for the development of the renewable energy sector in Poland and Europe.
• Progress in the Baltic Power project. The Baltic Power offshore wind farm project, implemented by Orlen and Northland Power, has reached the next stage. On May 20, 2025, the operational and service base in Łeba was opened, which will service the farm consisting of 76 turbines. The planned launch of the farm with a capacity of 1.2 GW is to take place in the first half of 2026, which will contribute to increasing the share of renewable energy sources in the Polish energy mix.
• Higher costs of replenishing gas storage in the EU. According to analyses cited by the Financial Times, replenishing gas storage in the European Union after the frosty winter will be at least EUR 10 billion more expensive than in 2024. The increase in costs is due to the need to purchase larger quantities of the raw material, which may translate into higher bills for end users.

Detailed information about the energy and gas market is presented in the monthly Enfree Market Report. Please contact us.