Bun­desnet­za­gen­tur ap­proves net­work de­vel­op­ment plan 2019-2030

Year of issue 2019
Date of issue 2019.12.20

Today, the Bundesnetzagentur approved the electricity network development plan (NDP) 2019-2030.

"The current network development planning has been shown to be future-proof. We consider all projects in the Federal Requirements Plan to remain necessary. Timely project implementation is essential for the German energy transition to be successful," explained Jochen Homann, Bundesnetzagentur President. He added, "The NDP 2019-2030 is the first NDP to include the federal government’s target of increasing the proportion of renewable energy to 65% by 2030. We have also taken into account the long-term effects of the coal phase-out by looking at whether the grid expansion measures will still be necessary for the energy industry once coal-fired power has been fully phased out in 2038."

Network development plan includes need for new power lines

The electricity NDP 2019-2030 adds nearly 3,600 more kilometres of transmission lines on top of the applicable Federal Requirements Plan. The majority of these will strengthen existing connections. Despite the inclusion of measures to optimise the grid, such as dynamic line rating of overhead lines and the inclusion of innovative technical approaches, additional grid expansion will still be needed to meet the government's target of increasing the proportion of electricity generated from renewable sources to 65% of gross electricity consumption by 2030. The NDP 2019-2030 lays the foundation for this.

The Bundesnetzagentur has approved innovative network operating resources proposed for the first time by transmission system operators. These resources include the grid booster concept, a pilot measure to introduce a reactive operational management approach that allows the grid to be overloaded for a brief period if a fault occurs, thus increasing the transport capacity of the grid. Network security will be maintained in an automated process and very rapidly, managing controllable generating installations and consumer equipment in front of the congestion, as well as batteries behind the congestion to ensure electricity supply.

74 new measures

The Bundesnetzagentur has confirmed 74 new measures. These measures are absolutely necessary and sustainable, no matter what electricity future lies ahead. Amongst these measures, an additional high-voltage direct-current transmission corridor is required by 2030. It will run from Schleswig-Holstein through Lower Saxony to North Rhine-Westphalia, in particular in order to transport the additional electricity generated from offshore wind turbines and in northern Germany to the main consumption areas further south, where it is needed.

NDP 2019-2030 includes the planning for offshore transmission links for the first time

The NDP 2019-2030 is the first NDP to include the planning for offshore transmission links, replacing the previous offshore NDP, and is based on the determinations of the site development plan (FEP). On the basis of the provisions of the FEP, the NDP defines the necessary offshore transmission links with their commissioning years and onshore grid connection points.

For the period up to 2030, seven or eight additional transmission links in the North Sea and Baltic Sea are approved in order to connect offshore wind farms, depending on the scenario. The goal of connecting 20 GW of offshore wind farms by 2030 will therefore be possible.

Phase-out of electricity generated from coal taken into consideration

The final report of 26 January 2019 by the Commission on Growth, Structural Change and Employment has been taken into consideration in the latest NDP in Scenario C 2030, which reflects the phase-out plan for electricity generated from coal up to 2030. The Bundesnetzagentur also introduced an additional Scenario C 2038* into the approval process, which goes beyond the scenarios of the scenario framework and in which all coal-fired plants in Germany are shut down, to take account of the long-term effects of a complete coal phase-out on the transmission grid.

Widespread public participation

A ten-week public participation process took place before requirements were established and the environmental impact report produced.

The Bundesnetzagentur received over 800 responses to its consultation. All the responses were recorded and evaluated and the arguments put forward considered in terms of their importance to the decision-making process. In addition, the authority held various information events across the country.

Network Development Plan and Federal Requirements Plan

Under the German Energy Industry Act (EnWG), approved network development plans can support the drafting of the Federal Requirements Plan. By adopting the Federal Requirements Plan, the legislature gives legally binding effect to the urgent need for the projects contained therein and their necessity for the energy sector.

The complete documents and further information on grid expansion can be found on the Bundesnetzagentur's website at www.netzausbau.de/2019-2030-nep-ub.

A clip explaining the NDP and other issues surrounding grid expansion can be found on our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8-o-Ekz4T8&feature=youtu.be.

Press release (pdf / 56 KB)