Progress in network expansion: Bundesnetzagentur defines first A-Nord section in North Rhine-Westphalia
Year of issue 2024
Date of issue 2024.10.30
The Bundesnetzagentur has today completed the planning approval procedure for another section of the A-Nord power line. The Bundesnetzagentur decided on the route of the extra-high voltage line south of the Kleve/Wesel district boundary between Uedem and Sonsbeck and the Meerbusch converter station. The entire section of the line will be laid underground. In spring 2024 the Bundesnetzagentur had already approved two applications for an early start to construction work on this section of the power line.
Section from the Kleve/Wesel district boundary to the Meerbusch converter station
The section, which is around 60 kilometres long, begins at the administrative border of the districts Kleve and Wesel between Uedem and Sonsbeck. The line runs southeast from the Uedem/Sonsbeck municipal boundary. In Sonsbeck it crosses the A57 motorway before reaching the territory of the town of Kevelaer. From there the route passes between Geldern-Kapellen and Sonsbeck-Hamb to the municipal area of Issum. Before reaching Issum it takes a turn to the south, crosses the Issumer Fleuth and then runs east of Geldern-Hartefeld. The defined power line route then reaches the municipal area of Kerken, where it runs east of Nieukerk and Aldekerk. It crosses the A40 motorway near the Kerken motorway junction. Further southeast the route runs through the Tote Rahm nature conservation area and then east of the Kempen urban district of St. Hubert and west of Krefeld-Hüls. North of St. Tönis it takes a westward bend. The defined route then runs southeast between St. Tönis and Vorst. It later reaches the urban area of Willich to the west of Krefeld-Forstwald before crossing and briefly running parallel to the A44 motorway, then north of Willich it bends towards the southeast. The section ends near Meerbusch-Osterath at the Meerbusch converter station. The converter connection to the Osterath grid connection point is not part of the section.
Today's decision confirms the path of the new A-Nord power line for the third of a total of six sections. The planning approval procedure for the NRW3a section took three years from the time when the application was filed to today's planning approval.
The Bundesnetzagentur plans to publish the planning approval decision on its website between 18 November 2024 and 2 December 2024. Announcement of the decision will be published in the local press and on the project site at www.netzausbau.de/vorhaben1-nrw3a. Further information will be available there.
Background
Project 1 from Emden Ost to Osterath is the northern part of the planned Corridor A (project name A-Nord) and to be completed and operated by transmission system operator (TSO) Amprion. In Osterath the power line connects to Project 2 (Ultranet), the southern part of Corridor A. In future the A-Nord power line will carry the electricity generated from renewable energy sources in the North Sea and on land in northern Germany to western regions of Germany. The lines are due to become operational in 2027.
The Bundesnetzagentur regularly updates the forecast on progress in electricity grid expansion. It is available online at www.netzausbau.de/prognose.
Information on the individual projects can be found at www.netzausbau.de. Links may be to pages available only in German.