(Paris/Frankfurt am Main, August 31, 2026) The German Committee of CIGRE at the VDE (DK-CIGRE) has decided that CIGRE Germany will join the Power Engineering Society within VDE (VDE ETG) effective January 1, 2027. The more than 800 individual German members of the international forum in the field of electrical power systems will thus automatically become part of the VDE ETG. The corresponding agreement was signed during the 51st CIGRE Conference in Paris.
CIGRE Germany has been part of the VDE since 1952 and represents German membership in the international CIGRE organization. Today, Germany is one of the most important and active countries within the international CIGRE network and provides key impetus for the further development of electrical power systems. The interests of German members are represented by the German Committee of CIGRE at the VDE (DK-CIGRE), where the secretariat is also located. CIGRE Germany’s accession to the ETG is therefore a logical step. “After 70 years, this decision marks a historic moment for everyone involved,” says Dr. Ralf Petri, Managing Director of VDE ETG and DK-CIGRE. “CIGRE is the platform where experts from around the world come together to shape the energy supply of the future—just as VDE ETG does in Germany.”
“One central question was at the forefront of our decision: How do we create the greatest added value for our members? Many of our experts are already actively involved in both CIGRE and VDE ETG. They work on the same future-oriented topics, in the same projects, and interact within the same networks. Through this close collaboration, we are pooling our resources and creating even better conditions for professional exchange, international visibility, and active participation in shaping the energy transition,” says Pascal Daleiden, CEO of Hitachi Energy DACH and Slovenia and Chair of the DK CIGRE.
“The community fosters professional exchange, international contacts, career opportunities, and access to unique expertise, as well as direct interaction between young talent and experienced experts across the entire industry,” adds ETG Chair Dr. Britta Buchholz. The VP of Active Distribution Grids at Hitachi Energy is a CIGRE Fellow and a member of DK-CIGRE. “This is all the more important because major societal challenges can only be solved through collaboration within strong networks—both nationally and internationally.”
“CIGRE for power systems expertise” is one of the most significant international technical and scientific organizations in the field of energy systems. Founded in 1921 in Paris, where its General Secretariat is still headquartered today, it brings together over 26,000 technical and scientific experts from more than 120 countries worldwide, as well as approximately 1,250 corporate members from industry, energy utilities, and academia. They work to advance technical and scientific knowledge in the field of electrical energy systems and to intensify the global exchange of information among experts.
