TSO overhauls Berlin energy artery as security of supply remains in question

As Germany’s energy security of supply remains in question for the coming months and years, 50Hertz is substantially upgrading the diagonal power link between Charlottenburg and Mitte, touted by the German TSO as one of the most important electricity supply lines of Berlin.

For the works, tunnelling between the substations of Charlottenburg and Mitte has already begun. The power line will work its way through sand and rock at a depth of around 30 metres below the city and completion is expected to take around two years on the 6.7km tunnel pipe.

By 2028, the upgraded 380kV diagonal power link will be put into operation, together with electrical installations.

Energy supply for Berlin

The expansion and conversion of the diagonal power link is part of 50Hertz’s broader renewal programme for the capital’s infrastructure.

The objective is to build a new replacement for the existing line to ensure the capital’s reliable, sustainable and economic electricity supply for the future.

The new tunnel for the diagonal power link – which will be accessible by staff – will have a diameter of around three metres and is located at a depth of 20 to 30 metres.

In the Mitte substation, the new diagonal power link will connect to the cable tunnel that is already in place in the eastern part of the city.

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The current underground cable, which runs from the Rudolf Wissell Bridge to the Mitte substation, dates back to 1978.

Construction of the power line upgrade will be coordinated by Swiss construction company Implenia.

Diagonal power link

Stefan Kapferer, CEO of 50Hertz, stated on the power link: “The diagonal power link is one of the most important power lines of our city – one of its main arteries. Berlin’s energy consumption will only increase in the coming years. This is a result of the conversion of urban heating, which currently uses gas and coal, to electricity, as well as the establishment of data centres in Berlin.

“Other reasons are the growing number of people living in our city, of electric vehicles on our streets and of heat pumps in our buildings. That is why this line is of such great importance. The development of the diagonal power link is another significant step towards reaching our goal: to cover 100% of the electricity demand in our grid area with renewable energy by 2032.”

Franziska Giffey, governing mayor of Berlin, added: “Berlin will also need a secure and reliable energy infrastructure in the future. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has underlined how important it is to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels and to exploit more renewable energy sources. Berlin is on the right path: we are seeing a clear growth in solar panel surfaces, so the people of Berlin are speeding up the energy transition.

“To ensure that the grids can cope with this increased generation, projects like 50Hertz’s diagonal power link are crucial. Strengthening flexible grids is good news for the city’s energy supply and ensures that Berlin’s economy is ready for the future.”

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This is the latest announcement from the TSO with respect to transmission overhauls.

In early September of this year, 50Hertz announced an energy transmission hub in the country will be developed from a site near Bad Lauchstädt, in the south of Saxony-Anhalt. This included a total of four systems for reactive power compensation to help stabilise voltage and support reliable electricity transmission.

And in late September, the German TSO was granted permission to finalise an overhead power line between the German states of Saxony and Thuringia. Once commissioned, the new overhead line will transport 40% more electricity than the current, as its transmission capacity will be increased from 2,500 to 3,600 amperes per circuit.

These announcements have been making the rounds in Germany as fears of insufficient supply increase with winter approaching and the war in Ukraine continuing to impact economies across the continent.

Projects such as these are therefore critically important to secure supply in the medium to long term.