Grid agency confirms plans for five new large-scale power transmission lines in Germany
Clean Energy Wire
Germany's Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) has confirmed plans by electricity grid operators to build five additional large-scale power transmission lines across several regions to support the country's move to climate neutrality. "For a climate-neutral electricity system, we will need a considerable number of additional power lines by 2045," said BNetzA head Klaus Müller. In a report, the agency concluded "that further DC [direct current] expansion in the form of the five submitted projects is necessary to enable the integration of renewable energies" and to alleviate pressure in highly congested regions.
Energy industry association BDEW welcomed the confirmation by the grid agency, and said it was now important to quickly implement expansion. Above all, the organisation called for the implementation of the right regulatory framework to help companies make the necessary investments – not only in the transmission network, but also in electricity distribution power lines.
Germany must build new electricity transmission lines as well as expand renewable energy sources to achieve its aim of covering 80 percent of its power demand from renewable sources by 2030. Grid operators published the first draft of the grid development plan in March 2023, which included the five additional power lines. Now confirmed, the document is the basis for the country's official plan of expansion needs, which is regularly decided by lawmakers, at least every four years. Once this is in place, planning procedures for individual projects can start.
