Energy transition clears crucial hurdle – significant progress in electricity grid expansion in 2025
Klaus Müller: “Full approval for four major electricity highway
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Year of issue 2026
Date of issue 2026.01.02
In 2025 the Bundesnetzagentur approved roughly 2,000 km of power lines, approximately 45% more than in 2024 (1,280 km). This pushes up the total length of fully approved power lines under the Bundesnetzagentur’s responsibility to around 4,700 km.
The first approval procedures for major high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) lines were completed. The Bundesnetzagentur issued planning permission for the power lines running from north to south – the A-Nord, Ultranet, SuedLink and SuedOstLink lines – often known as “electricity highways”.
“We have acted on last year’s intentions and have followed one year with a record length of power line approvals with another,
” said Klaus Müller, President of the Bundesnetzagentur. “The expansion of the electricity grid is of decisive importance for the success of the energy transition. In 2025 we completed the procedures for four major electricity highways. This is clear proof that the acceleration in recent years is producing concrete results
.”
Great progress in the approval procedures
Currently about 16,800 km of power lines have been legally decided on as necessary for expanding the grid. The lines are needed to help safeguard a secure and reliable supply beyond the transition to renewable energy. The Bundesnetzagentur is responsible for examining and approving around 9,600 km of these lines. The remainder is processed by the respective federal states.
In the first step of the procedure, the Bundesnetzagentur defines an approximately 1,000-metre-wide corridor through which the power lines will run.
In the next step, the planning approval stage, the Bundesnetzagentur decides on the exact route of the lines. It looks for the route that, among other things, has the least possible impact on the landscape and the smallest impact on people. The Bundesnetzagentur consults the competent authorities, the project promoters and the communities affected by the project. It listens to and evaluates the arguments put forward. The Bundesnetzagentur then takes a decision and grants planning approval for the specific line. At the end of 2025 around 4,100 km of power lines are either in or about to start this procedure.
For around 4,700 km of lines, planning approval has been completed or is no longer required due to legal changes. Construction of these lines has already begun or is due to begin shortly.
Further information on electricity grid expansion
The Bundesnetzagentur regularly updates the forecast on progress in electricity grid expansion and publishes the updates at www.netzausbau.de/prognose (in German).
Information on the individual projects is available online at www.netzausbau.de/vorhaben (in German).