At the E.DSO Board of Directors meeting held in Dublin, Ireland, on 15 October and kindly hosted by ESB Networks, E.DSO members reaffirmed their commitment to cooperate in the face of extreme weather events by symbolically signing the European DSO Grid Emergency (EDGE) Agreement during a dedicated ceremony held for the occasion. This agreement was agreed to by the E.DSO Board of Directors earlier this year and put into effect in recent months. Board members signed an enlarged version of the cover of the agreement, showing their commitment and that of their companies to the ethos of mutual aid to benefit citizens in emergencies.
The European DSO Grid Emergency Agreement (EDGE) is a high-level, non-binding framework approved by the E.DSO Board of Directors. It aims to promote solidarity, resilience and operational support among European Distribution System Operators (DSOs) during major incidents and emergencies caused by extreme weather events and natural disasters. The agreement is intended to make a real difference to the effectiveness of power restoration efforts post-disaster by leveraging DSO resources at a European level.
Under EDGE, participating DSOs can assist one another on a voluntary and not-for-profit basis, through the coordinated deployment of personnel, equipment and resources, where applicable. The agreement recognises that the type and extent of assistance will vary according to each DSO’s capabilities and constraints. It provides a shared foundation for mutual support and complements any arrangements DSOs already have in place. The agreement sets up an internal structure for requesting and responding to aid requests. As new E.DSO Chair José Ferrari Careto noted, “This agreement shows our commitment to work together as DSOs across Europe in the most difficult of times to restore power to European citizens.”
Through peer-to-peer learning, EDGE strengthens trust among DSOs and helps build well-connected networks that respond faster and learn continuously from major hazards. Its balanced governance model, ensures both strong engagement and realistic coordination, improving preparedness and resilience in the European DSO community. The Irish Presidency of the EU has congratulated E.DSO on concluding and implementing this agreement.
ESB EDSO Board Meeting Photo Chris Bellew / Fennell Photography
