Progress in network expansion: Bundesnetzagentur approves five sections
Year of issue 2024
Date of issue 2024.12.19
The Bundesnetzagentur has today completed five planning approval procedures for a total of 253 kilometres of power lines. The transmission system operators can now start on new construction or conversion measures for these direct-current projects.
"Grid expansion has picked up pace considerably.Today we can see that our efforts are bearing fruit and that we can conclude more and more approval procedures. In the many constructive talks we have held with those involved, each time we have been able to reach a good solution and quickly move on,"
said Klaus Müller, President of the Bundesnetzagentur.
A-Nord: Borken/Wesel district boundary to the Kleve/Wesel district boundary
The section of the power line that has been approved (section NRW 2) runs south of the Borken/Wesel district boundary between Bocholt and Hamminkeln to the Kleve/Wesel district boundary between Uedem and Sonsbeck. The entire section of the line of around 34 km will be laid underground. The Bundesnetzagentur expects to publish its planning approval decision on 13 January 2025 at www.netzausbau.de/vorhaben1-nrw2.
Ultranet: Marxheim to Ried
The A2 section of power line of around 57 km starts at Marxheim, which lies within the municipality of Hofheim am Taunus, and ends at Ried in the Biblis municipality. This means the Bundesnetzagentur has now completed the planning approval procedure for the fourth section of the planned extra-high voltage line from Osterath to Philippsburg. Amprion intends to build upon and expand the existing power line route. The planning approval decision will be published on 8 January 2025 on the Bundesnetzagentur website at www.netzausbau.de/vorhaben2-a2.
SuedLink: Wischhafen to Kutenholz
The section of the SuedLInk that has been approved (A3) is in Lower Saxony and runs from Wischhafen to Kutenholz. The section of around 44 km will be laid underground. SuedLink is to transport offshore wind power from the North Sea to the densely populated regions of southern Germany along the Main and Neckar rivers. It consists of two direct-current lines, 3 and 4, which run parallel along most of the route. The German transmission system operators TenneT and TransnetBW are responsible for planning, establishing and operating the SuedLink.
The Bundesnetzagentur is due to publish its planning approval decision on 23 December 2024 at www.netzausbau.de/vorhaben3-a3 and www.netzausbau.de/vorhaben4-a3 www..
SuedOstLink: Thuringia/Saxony and Pfatter to A92 near Isar
Two of the approved sections form part of the SuedOstLink direct-current line. Underground cable will be laid in both sections as part of the new route construction. This means approval has been given for five of nine sections and around 215 km of the SuedOstLink line, which will be approximately 540 km long.
Section B, which is around 84 km, runs through Thuringia and Saxony. This section required extensive modifications to be able to pass through this ecologically sensitive and technically complex area, especially around the forest near Tautenhain. The project promoter for this section is 50 Hertz.
Section D3a starts in Pfatter and ends after around 45 km at the A92 near Isar. This section contains the highest degree of known and suspected archaeological sites within the area of the SuedOstLink. The Bundesnetzagentur and the project promoter TenneT have worked closely with the specialist Bavarian authorities and have taken extensive protective measures to respect the uniqueness of the area.
The Bundesnetzagentur expects to publish its planning approval decision on 23 December 2024 at www.netzausbau.de/vorhaben5-b and www.netzausbau.de/vorhaben5a-b ;
www.netzausbau.de/vorhaben5-d3a and www.netzausbau.de/vorhaben5a-d3a.
The Bundesnetzagentur regularly updates the forecast on progress in electricity grid expansion. It is available online at Netzausbau - Prognose zum Stromnetzausbau.
Please note all the above links are to German web pages.