Greece is considering new requirements for data-centre investors after applications to connect exceeded 12 GW, while projects with signed connection agreements or final offers total just 517 MW. The proposed rules would test project readiness before allocating scarce grid capacity.
The gap between applications and projects with agreements or final offers is a warning about speculative grid reservations, as Greece seeks investment in AI and cloud infrastructure without crowding generation, industry or housing out of network capacity.
Under the draft government framework, projects above 200 MW would receive priority. Investors would need to secure land for at least ten years and source at least 60% of annual electricity consumption from renewable energy.
Investors would also have to cover grid-upgrade costs attributable to their projects and provide financial guarantees of €200,000 per MW. The capital commitments and renewable-power requirements are intended to establish whether projects are real before they enter the connection queue.
Greece has become an early Southeast European test case for managing electricity systems’ exposure to large data-centre demand. Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria and other markets in the region are also seeking digital infrastructure investment while expanding grids for electrification and renewables.
The proposed approach treats data centres as system-scale infrastructure projects rather than ordinary consumers, with obligations covering power sourcing, connection costs and investment readiness. Its core principle is “no grid capacity without proof of project maturity.”
