Polski
Grids Under Pressure: Record Order Backlogs and Bottlenecks in the Energy Transition
This week in the energy sector reveals two sides of the same phenomenon: demand for grid infrastructure is growing faster than the industry has managed to prepare for. In Poland, backlog records are being set in power grids, while in the US, energy storage equipment manufacturers have order books full for years ahead - and yet still can't keep pace with the real needs of the grid. We take a look at what these two signals mean for manufacturers of transformers, windings, generators, and electromagnetic components who are tracking the direction of investment in the energy sector.
01 · Power Grids
Elektrotim posts a record order backlog in power grids
Poland's Elektrotim, a company specializing in electrical installations, reported a record-high order backlog in mid-2026 - PLN 843 million, 25% more than a year earlier [1]. What matters most, though, is how that backlog breaks down: as much as PLN 701 million comes from the power grid segment, a clear illustration of where investment capital is flowing in Poland's energy sector today.
The data on new contracts is equally telling. Between January and August 2026, Elektrotim secured orders worth PLN 682 million - 65% more than in the same period of the previous year [1]. The company serves not only conventional energy infrastructure but also critical infrastructure, a sign that grid modernization has stopped being a niche topic and become one of the large-scale investment priorities in the Polish economy.
For exhibitors and visitors at Coil Expo, this is a tangible market signal: if installation companies are seeing this kind of growth in grid orders, demand for the transformers, windings, and other electromagnetic components behind these investments should grow at a similar pace in the coming quarters.
A similar phenomenon, though on a much larger scale, is visible on the other side of the Atlantic.
02 · Energy Storage
US utilities plan 24 GW of new energy storage, but equipment isn't the bottleneck
The scale of investment in the US is impressive. According to a report based on data from the US Energy Information Administration, energy utilities plan to bring around 24 GW of new energy storage online in 2026 [2]. That's a huge volume - but, as the report points out, equipment availability isn't what's limiting the pace of this transition today.
Manufacturers have order books full for years ahead: GE Vernova holds a backlog worth $176 billion, while Powell Industries has $2.4 billion in orders scheduled for delivery through 2028 [2]. The real bottleneck turns out to be the multi-stage process of bringing new capacity online: site selection, permitting, and above all, the wait for grid interconnection. It's these procedures - not transformer or switchgear delivery times - that are stretching out project timelines the most [2].
That's an important lesson for the European market too - even with growing production capacity and investment in new technology lines, the pace of the energy transition depends just as much on the efficiency of administrative procedures as on the industry's manufacturing capabilities. In other words, ramping up production of electromagnetic components alone isn't enough - better coordination on the part of regulators and grid operators is needed as well.
Summary
Summary
This week makes it clear: demand for grid infrastructure and energy storage is growing on both sides of the Atlantic faster than interconnection and investment procedures can keep up. For manufacturers of transformers, windings, generators, and electromagnetic components, this is a signal that the market will need not just more equipment, but also better coordination between production and the execution of grid projects.
Want to talk about how your company can respond to this growing demand? Join us at Coil Expo - the International Trade Fair for Windings, Transformers, Generators and Electromagnetic Components, where manufacturers, suppliers, and investors from the electrical engineering, energy, and renewable energy sectors come together to discuss exactly these challenges.
Invitation
Record power grid contracts in Poland and full order books at US equipment manufacturers show that demand for transformers, windings, and electromagnetic components keeps rising. Visit Coil Expo to meet suppliers ready to keep pace with this rate of investment and to discuss the challenges around grid interconnection. It's where manufacturers, suppliers, and investors from the power and renewable energy sectors come together.
Coil Expo 2026Footnotes
[1] Evertiq.pl — https://evertiq.pl/news/2026-09-16-elektrotim-z-rekordowym-backlogiem-i-wzrostem-nowych-kontraktow-o-65-proc[2] GlobeNewswire — https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/09/14/3361134/0/en/us-utilities-plan-24-gw-of-new-battery-storage-in-2026-as-interconnection-waits-stretch.html