© Federal Network Agency

Germany’s regulatory authority, the Federal Network Agency, has checked the 2024 Electricity Grid Development Plan as well as the 2024 Offshore Grid Development Plan.
More than half of the 5,800 or so kilometres of new lines provided for in the Grid Development Plan will serve to optimise and reinforce the grid. Some 3,050 kilometres of existing cables will have to be retrofitted and updated so they can meet the ever more demanding requirements. In addition to this, 2,750 kilometres of new power cables are needed. In its Offshore Grid Development Plan, the Federal Network Agency has also confirmed two new power lines connecting offshore wind turbines in the North Sea, and one new power line connecting wind turbines in the Baltic Sea, which are to move the expansion of offshore wind energy forward.

What is a grid development plan?

The grid development plans are drawn up by the transmission system operators. The plans define the measures needed to optimise the grid according to current needs – to reinforce and expand the grid in order to ensure reliable grid operation in the coming years. The Federal Network Agency takes a look at the registered demand for new extra-high voltage lines submitted by the operators, and then confirms the measures that – according to its own assessment – will be necessary in the coming ten years. This assessment already includes all of the conclusions from the broad-based public consultation on the grid development plans, as well as the conclusions from the Federal Cabinet’sEnergy Summit of 1 July 2015.

Overall, the Federal Network Agency has confirmed 63 measures to expand the onshore grid, and three power lines connecting offshore wind turbines. This means that, in the last few years, the Federal Network Agency has confirmed more measures than were originally outlined in the grid development plans in order to account for the increasing share of renewables in Germany’s energy mix. However, the Federal Network Agency has not confirmed all of the measures that were submitted by the transmission system operators. This has to do with the fact that, in its review, the Federal Network Agency has taken into account that in 2014, a cap was introduced, limiting offshore wind energy generation to 6.5 gigawatts, as well as a requirement to disconnect offshore generation in case there are peaks in onshore wind energy generation. Both measures help reduce grid expansion requirements.

The Federal Network Agency checks if the measures included in the grid development plans are necessary for the energy sector – in line with legal requirements – taking grid infrastructure into account. The next step is for lawmakers to specify the end points of the power lines to be expanded in the Federal Requirements Plan (legally binding). The exact routing of the lines will be further specified in the future.