Full SuedLink route corridor decided
Jochen Homann: "Major step for the energy transition"
Year of issue 2021
Date of issue 2021.03.26
The Bundesnetzagentur has today determined the route corridor for both B sections of the Suedlink direct current transmission line. The approved sections run between Scheeßel and Bad Gandersheim/Seesen in the state of Lower Saxony. Projects 3 and 4 of the SuedLink are being implemented together in a "main route" in these sections.
"The general route of the SuedLink has now been decided, so we have got one of the key projects of the energy transition underway,"
said Bundesnetzagentur President Jochen Homann. "We welcome the intensive participation of the public and are pleased to be able to include two suggestions from the consultation."
The route corridor that has been determined is about 190 km long, begins in the north-east of Scheeßel and passes to the west of Hanover. In the district of Hildesheim, it runs through the Leine valley from Freden. It joins the route corridor of section C, which had already been determined, near Einbeck.
In its decision-making process, the Bundesnetzagentur took into consideration two alternatives that arose from the consultation involving authorities and members of the public. South of Seelze, the route corridor runs between Lathwehren and Kirchwehren (Seelze town) and is joined with existing overhead lines north of Göxe (Barsinghausen town). From Freden, the route corridor runs through the Leine valley to Einbeck-Volksen.
Next step: planning approval procedure
Once the federal sectoral planning has been completed, the next step is the planning approval procedure. In this stage of the approval process, the Bundesnetzagentur determines the exact route within the route corridor. The public will be given every opportunity to get involved in this part of the process, too. The Bundesnetzagentur expects the transmission system operators to apply for planning approval in the near future.
Background to the SuedLink
The SuedLink is intended to transport offshore wind power from the North Sea to the densely populated regions of southern Germany along the Main and Neckar rivers. The project is being implemented jointly by the transmission system operators TenneT TSO GmbH and TransnetBW GmbH.
The SuedLink consists of two projects and will start in Wilster and Brünsbüttel. Its end points are the network nodes of Bergrheinfeld and Großgartach. Large parts of the two projects will be planned and built in parallel. The SuedLink is divided into several planning sections. The project will use underground cables with capacity of 2 GW each. It is planned to go into operation in 2026.
You can watch videos explaining the expansion of the electricity network at www.youtube.com/netzausbau.
The decision has been published at www.netzausbau.de/vorhaben3-b and www.netzausbau.de/vorhaben4-b.