Dramatic backlog in the smart meter rollout and the expansion of smart grids, technology from the post-war period and huge financial gaps: The sluggish transformation of the distribution grid is jeopardising the energy transition in Germany. This is the alarming result of the survey ‘Is the energy transition failing on the last mile?’ conducted by AXXCON, a management consultancy specialising in the energy sector, in which 104 distribution grid operators in Germany took part.