50Hertz Secures Early Approval to Upgrade Mecklar-Vieselbach Overhead Line with High-Temperature Conductors

50Hertz Secures Early Approval to Upgrade Mecklar-Vieselbach Overhead Line with High-Temperature Conductors

(IN BRIEF) 50Hertz has received approval from the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) to upgrade the Thuringian section of the 380-kV Mecklar-Vieselbach overhead line by converting it to high-temperature conductors. This decision, issued ahead of schedule, allows 50Hertz to increase the line’s electricity transmission capacity by 60% to 4,000 Ampere. The upgrade involves replacing the existing conductors and some pylons on the 87-km line section, originally built in 1994, with minimal environmental impact. The project is expected to be completed by late 2027.

(PRESS RELEASE) COTTBUS, 14-Aug-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — 50Hertz has successfully secured approval from the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) to upgrade the Thuringian section of the 380-kV Mecklar-Vieselbach overhead line by installing high-temperature conductors. This regulatory green light, issued earlier than anticipated, will enable 50Hertz to enhance the line’s electricity transmission capacity by 60%, increasing the current load to 4,000 Ampere. The upgrade involves replacing the existing conductors and some pylons along the 87-kilometer stretch between the Hesse-Thuringia border and the Vieselbach substation, which was originally constructed in 1994.

According to 50Hertz Chief Corporate Officer Sylvia Borcherding, the swift approval process, facilitated by effective cooperation and the new legal framework, will allow the company to commence the necessary modifications promptly. The project, which aims to boost transmission capacity with minimal environmental impact, is slated for completion by late 2027. Transmission system operator TenneT will manage the Hessian section of the line up to the Mecklar substation.

About 50Hertz
50Hertz operates the electricity transmission system in the north and east of Germany, which it expands as needed for the energy transition. Our extra high voltage grid has an electrical circuit length of more than 10,000 kilometres, or the distance between Berlin and Rio de Janeiro. The 50Hertz control area covers Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia, as well as the city states of Berlin and Hamburg. Within these regions, 50Hertz and its around 1,800 employees ensure that 18 million people are supplied with electricity around the clock. 50Hertz is a forerunner in the field of secure integration of renewable energy. In our grid area, we want to integrate 100 percent renewable energies securely into the grid and system by 2032 – calculated over the year. The shareholders of 50Hertz are the Belgian holding Elia Group (80%), which is listed on the stock exchange, and the KfW bank group with 20%. As a European TSO, 50Hertz is a member of the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E).

Media Contact:

Press officer
Volker Gustedt
Tel: +49 (0)305150 2878
Mobile: +49 (0)15155377634
email: volker.gustedt@50hertz.com

SOURCE: 50Hertz