Progress in grid expansion: Bundesnetzagentur decides on route for further section of SuedOstLink power line
Year of issue 2024
Date of issue 2024.11.22
The Bundesnetzagentur has today completed the third planning approval procedure for a section of the SuedOstLink power line. This means the route of the underground direct-current line between Nittenau and Pfatter in Bavaria has now been finalised. This section includes the line passing under the River Danube using horizontal directional drilling.
Last autumn the Bundesnetzagentur had approved the first of several applications for an early start to work on this section of the line. TenneT TSO GmbH had been able to begin construction work before the planning approval procedure was completed. The Bundesnetzagentur has now given its full approval.
Route between Nittenau and Pfatter
The section of the power line that has been approved (section D2) is about 29 kilometres long. The route begins west of Goppeltshof near Nittenau (Regensburg rural district). It runs south down to a point level with Altenthann and then southeast and to the west of Brennberg to Frauenzell. The route then runs southwest past Wiesent and east of Wörth an der Donau. It then crosses the River Danube northwest of Pfatter (Regensburg rural district) and ends at a point level with Pfatter.
The Bundesnetzagentur plans to publish its planning approval decision on 9 December 2024 at www.netzausbau.de/vorhaben5-d2 and www.netzausbau.de/vorhaben5a-d2.
SuedOstLink power line as a major axis for the energy transition
The SuedOstLink power line is a new high-voltage direct-current transmission line that will run from the north-east of Germany to Bavaria. The new power line will be entirely underground.
It consists of two direct-current lines, each with 2 gigawatts and a voltage of 525 kilovolts. The lines are listed as projects 5 and 5a in the Federal Requirements Plan Act. Project 5 is about 538 kilometres long and runs from Wolmirstedt (north of Magdeburg) to the Isar grid connection point (near Landshut). Project 5a starts in Klein Rogahn/Stralendorf/Warsow/Holthusen/Schossin (near Schwerin) and meets project 5 in Börde rural district (west of Magdeburg). The two projects then run parallel to each other as the SuedOstLink power line until they reach the Isar grid connection point.
Each of the projects can only be put into operation as a whole because the lines are direct-current lines. Project 5 is due to go into operation in 2027 and project 5a in 2030. The two transmission system operators TenneT and 50Hertz are responsible for planning, constructing and operating the SuedOstLink power line.