Progress in network expansion: Bundesnetzagentur approves northern section of “Südharz” power line
Year of issue 2025
Date of issue 2025.07.17
The Bundesnetzagentur completed the planning approval procedure for the last section of the Südharz power line project on 17 July 2025. The approved northern section runs through Saxony-Anhalt from a transformer station still to be constructed at Schraplau/Obhausen to the Wolkramshausen transformer station in Thuringia. The section is about 71 kilometres long and is the shorter of the project’s two sections. The power line in this section will be an extra-high voltage overhead line with 380 kV. The partial deconstruction of the existing 220 kV power line from Eula to Wolkramshausen is also approved. The project is being planned and implemented by the transmission system operator 50Hertz.
The Bundesnetzagentur is due to publish its planning approval decision (in German) on 4 August 2025 at www.netzausbau.de/vorhaben44-n.
Südharz power line
The Südharz power line project is designed to increase transmission capacity throughout Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The complete route corridor from near Schraplau/Obhausen west of Halle (Saale) via Wolkramshausen (Thuringia) to Vieselbach (Erfurt) has now been decided. The entire route is 145 kilometres long. Much of the power line will run along the route of the existing 220 kV line, which will then be dismantled.
The Bundesnetzagentur regularly updates the forecast on progress in electricity grid expansion at: www.netzausbau.de/prognose.