The last two years have also seen a growth in connection requests for consumption users. Particularly significant among these are the data centres, for which there were requests for connection in the amount of around 30 GW as of December 2024. They have a high energy demand because of their function, as a result of which new grid infrastructure, or the upgrading of existing elements, will be necessary for their connection.

The scenarios reveal the need for new storage capacity: by 2030, 71.5 GWh are required for the effective market integration of renewables, net of the existing electric pumping plants. This development is also supported by an innovative Mechanism for the Procurement of Electrical Storage Capacity (MACSE), which Terna will launch in 2025.

The development projects will allow the target capacities to be reached by 2030 and 2040, to enable efficient exchange between the market zones. Thanks to these interventions, an increase of around 7 GW is expected by 2030, rising to an overall exchange capacity of about 39 GW by 2040.