Progress in network expansion: Bundesnetzagentur approves another section of the Ultranet power line
Year of issue 2024
Date of issue 2024.11.28
The Bundesnetzagentur has today completed the planning approval procedure for the third section of the planned extra-high voltage line from Osterath to Philippsburg. Today’s decision means Amprion GmbH, the transmission system operator, now has approval for the construction and operation of the power line. Amprion plans to reinforce the existing power line routes to be able to transport more electricity.
Section from Osterath to Rommerskirchen
The approval has been given for the northernmost section of the power line, which runs through North Rhine-Westphalia from the grid connection point in Osterath to Rommerskirchen. The cable route begins at the grid connection point in Osterath, on the southern edge of the municipality of Meerbusch, in Rhein-Kreis-Neuss. It runs through various municipalities, following a south-southwest direction through Kaarst and Neuss, before crossing the eastern edge of Grevenbroich for just over two kilometres. The section then runs through Dormagen and Rommerskirchen, continuing through Pulheim, Rommerskirchen and Bergheim along the boundary line to the Rhein-Erft-Kreis district. The section ends at the Rommerskirchen transformer station, which lies within in the municipality of Bergheim.
The 29-kilometre-long section connects directly with the southern part of Project 1 (A-Nord corridor), which has already been largely approved and which runs from Emden to Osterath.
The planning approval decision will be published (in German) on 20 December 2024 on the Bundesnetzagentur website at www.netzausbau.de/vorhaben2-C1.
The Bundesnetzagentur regularly updates the forecast on progress in electricity grid expansion. This is available at www.netzausbau.de/prognose.
Background to the power line
The Ultranet power line is a joint project of two transmission system operators, Amprion and TransnetBW. The power line is around 340 kilometres long and reaches from Osterath in North Rhine-Westphalia to Philippsburg in Baden-Württemberg.
As far as possible Ultranet will be constructed along existing power line routes as a direct-current line. The power line will increase the transmission capacity from the windy regions in the north of Germany to the high-consumption state of Baden-Württemberg. It is due to be operational by the end of 2026.
Ultranet and the A-Nord power line, which it connects to at its northern end, together form the “A corridor” that runs from Emden to Philippsburg.