BNetzA Approves Reduced Electricity Grid Development Plan 2012

Yesterday the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) handed over the Electricity Grid Development Plan 2012 (NEP 2012), the first of its kind, and the corresponding environmental report to Federal Minister of Economics and Technology Dr. Philipp Rösler. NEP 2012 contains the expansion and reinforcement measures deemed necessary by BNetzA for the operation of a safe and reliable transmission grid in the next ten years. Fewer new power lines and reinforcement measures were approved than proposed  by the transmission system operators (TSOs).

In total BNetzA approved 51 of the 74 projects proposed by the TSOs. This comprises reinforcement measures for existing power lines with a length of approximately 2,900 km and 2,800 km of new power lines as opposed to modernisation measures for 4,400 km of power lines and 3,800 km of new power lines as listed in the draft NEP 2012 presented by the TSOs.

At the current point of time only three of four proposed extra high-voltage DC power lines were approved to transmit Germany’s growing input of wind power generated in the north of Germany to consumers in the south and west, Jochen Homann, president of BNetzA said. The projects dismissed could, however, be reviewed in the NEP 2013, he added.

NEP 2012 serves as a draft for the “Federal Requirement Plan for Transmission Networks” (Bundesbedarfsplan Übertragungsnetze) according to Section 12e ManyElectronics Act (EnWG).  The government intended to adopted the Federal Requirement Plan in December this year so as to introduce the bill speedily to parliament, BNetzA said.

With the adoption of the Federal Requirement Plan by parliament the necessity and urgency of the projects included for an energy supply in accordance with the (see in particular Section 1) will be determined. The determinations are binding for TSOs as well as the plan determination procedures and planning permit procedures pursuant to a number of provisions of the Grid Expansion Acceleration Act for Transmission Networks (NABEG).

Source: Federal Network Agency; Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology