The Bundesnetzagentur presents the preliminary findings on the necessary grid expansion for discussion
Jochen Homann: "The main north-south transmission lines are still considered necessary to meet energy supply requirements.
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Date of issue 2015.02.27
The Bundesnetzagentur today launched the public involvement in the drafts of the Electricity Network Development Plan 2024 and the Offshore Network Development Plan 2024.
"In essence, it can be seen that the major north-south transmission lines in particular, which are already provided for in the Federal Requirements Plan Act, are still necessary and urgently needed to meet energy supply requirements. This need has been clearly evidenced repeatedly in the Bundesnetzagentur's assessment findings,
" said Jochen Homann, Bundesnetzagentur President.
"Speeding up the expansion of our electricity grid has become even more urgent with the rapid growth in renewable energy sources and the approaching final phasing out of nuclear energy. It is a key element in the success of the Energiewende
," Homann added.
The four transmission system operators have publicly consulted on and modified their draft network development plans. These set out the expansion measures that are needed up to 2024 - from the operators' point of view - to secure electricity supplies in Germany. The Bundesnetzagentur called upon external scientists to assist in carefully checking the modified plans. As a result, the Bundesnetzagentur found that at present 63 of the 92 initiatives proposed were essential. Of these, once again the north-south direct current transmission lines from Emden to Philippsburg, from Wilster to Grafenrheinfeld and from Wolmirstedt to Gundremmingen proved to be necessary. Amongst those proposals that the Bundesnetzagentur considers non-essential at present but the network operators are requesting is the direct current transmission line from the Segeberg district to Wendlingen.
The Bundesnetzagentur's preliminary findings have been published together with the draft environmental report on the network development plans, which describe and assess the environmental effects of the proposed network expansion projects. The methodology behind the assessment has remained largely the same as that of previous years.
However, one significant change is the assessment of the environmental impact of all direct current transmission lines, both overhead lines and underground cable.
The Energiewende will only be achieved if it has the support of the broadest possible social consensus. For this reason the Bundesnetzagentur is planning to hold information events again this year to facilitate a public dialogue about the necessity of expanding the grid.
The general public and the public authorities now have until 15 May 2015 to submit their comments on the draft network development plans and environmental report. The drafts of the network development plans, the environmental report and the draft confirmations are available online at www.netzausbau.de/nep‑-ub3 and are also available for viewing at the Bundesnetzagentur in Bonn until 10 April 2015.
When the consultation has closed the Bundesnetzagentur will assess the responses and will take them into account in its confirmation of the network development plans and revision of the environmental report.