Progress in network expansion: Bundesnetzagentur approves another section of the Ultranet power line
Year of issue 2025
Date of issue 2025.08.28
The Bundesnetzagentur has today completed the second to last planning approval procedure for the planned extra-high voltage line from Osterath to Philippsburg. Today’s decision means Amprion GmbH, the transmission system operator responsible, now has approval for the construction and operation of this section of the power line.
Section from Rommerskirchen to the border of the federal states North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate
The Bundesnetzagentur has approved the section from Rommerskirchen to the border of the federal states North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and Rhineland-Palatinate (RLP). The route starts at the Rommerskirchen substation in the Rhein-Erft-Kreis district. It runs southeast past Pulheim, Brauweiler and Frechen and through Hürth, where it turns southwards and passes Brühl. The route goes past Wesseling, Sechtem and Bornheim. At Bornheim it turns south towards Alfter. It heads southeast by Meckenheim and ends just before Grafschaft in the district of Ahrweiler. The section, which is about 63 km long, connects the already approved stretches C1 (Osterath to Rommerskirchen) and E2 (NRW/RLP border to Koblenz grid connection point) of Project 2 (Osterath to Philippsburg) in the Federal Requirements Plan Act.
The Bundesnetzagentur will today publish the planning approval decision (in German) on its website at www.netzausbau.de/Vorhaben2-e1.
The Bundesnetzagentur regularly updates the forecast on progress in electricity grid expansion and publishes the updates at www.netzausbau.de/prognose.
Background to the power line
The Ultranet power line is a joint project of two transmission system operators, Amprion and TransnetBW. The power line is around 340 kilometres long and runs from Osterath in North Rhine-Westphalia to Philippsburg in Baden-Württemberg.
As far as possible Ultranet will be constructed along existing power line routes as a direct-current line. The power line will increase the transmission capacity from the windy regions in the north of Germany to the high-consumption state of Baden-Württemberg. It is due to be operational by the end of 2026.
Ultranet and the A-Nord power line, which it connects to at its northern end, together form the “A corridor” that runs from Emden to Philippsburg.
