Report published by the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence, April 2025.
In a time of hybrid threats and geopolitical flux, NATO’s operational strength increasingly hinges on a less visible yet absolutely vital element: Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI). This report offers a compelling analysis of how CEI security underpins military resilience and energy stability across NATO. It stresses that CEI—ranging from fuel depots and electricity grids to underwater pipelines—plays a pivotal role in ensuring the operability of NATO missions and sustaining democratic systems. The report identifies CEI not just as civilian infrastructure but as dual-use assets whose compromise can endanger both economic stability and military effectiveness.
Chapter 1:
The report opens by unpacking key definitions:
- Critical Energy Infrastructure: physical and cyber assets essential for the production and distribution of energy.
- Military Resilience: the armed forces’ ability to operate under disrupted conditions.
- Energy Security: reliable, affordable access to energy—especially vital during missions and crises.
In NATO’s context, these aren’t abstract ideas—they are the linchpins of defence readiness. CEI is both a target and a shield in modern conflict, with its disruption potentially triggering cascading failures.
The discussion then moves to the field-level implications of energy infrastructure on soldiers. In combat zones, energy provision directly affects troop mobility, communications, medical care, and overall mission effectiveness. Case studies such as the NATO Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan illustrate how energy constraints can severely limit operational capabilities. Moreover, reliance on vulnerable logistics lines for fuel makes troops easy targets, highlighting the need for diversified and localized energy sources, including renewables.
Further, the report outlines NATO's evolving efforts to strengthen energy security. The Alliance has steadily expanded its energy agenda into:
- The creation of the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence (ENSEC CoE).
- Integration of energy security into training, doctrine, and operations.
- A focus on emerging risks—especially cyber threats and climate-related vulnerabilities.
This strategic evolution signals NATO’s recognition that energy security is not just auxiliary—it’s central to defence planning.
Chapter 2:
In this chapter, the report provides a sectoral analysis of land and maritime CEI:
- Land CEI faces threats ranging from physical attacks to cyber intrusions, with aging infrastructure and digital vulnerabilities being persistent concerns.
- Maritime CEI, including undersea pipelines and cables, is increasingly exposed to espionage and sabotage, often in contested waters.
The South China Sea is analysed as a key region where energy and security interests converge. Though outside NATO’s jurisdiction, the report underscores the global interconnectedness of energy infrastructure—and the strategic risks of leaving such areas unguarded.
The Italian approach to underwater CEI highlights existing knowledge gaps. Although Italy plays a critical role due to its geographical positioning and infrastructure density, the report notes the absence of a centralized framework for underwater infrastructure monitoring. This gap reflects a broader issue across NATO: the lack of coordinated, real-time surveillance and response mechanisms for critical infrastructure beneath international waters.
In conclusion, the report urges NATO to adopt a forward-looking strategy that integrates CEI protection with military planning. It recommends enhancing resilience through innovation, cross-sectoral cooperation, and improved threat detection. Future actions should prioritize:
- Mapping infrastructure vulnerabilities more proactively.
- Promoting deeper civil-military coordination.
- Mainstreaming energy security into NATO’s strategic culture
- Investing in innovation and smarter threat detection.
As energy becomes a strategic terrain in its own right, resilient CEI will define the strength, speed, and sovereignty of NATO missions in the years ahead.
This text is based on extracts from the report written by Rebecca Iotti, April 2025. To read the full report, follow the link here.
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