Press Release Federal Tender

Today the Federal Cabinet approved Federal Economics Minister Katherina Reiches draft law to amend the Federal Requirements Plan Act.

This is intended to create planning security enable secure network operation and improve the integration of the German into the European electricity network through interconnectors with neighboring countries.

Federal Minister Katherina Reiche: Today we are providing new impetus for network expansion in Germany. With the 45 new power line projects we are consistently continuing the energy transition. At the same time we are laying the foundation for the further cost-efficient expansion of the electricity grid by implementing the new electricity highways as overhead lines again. Both mean relief for consumers because in the long term we will reduce network fees.

In order to create the conditions for an accelerated needs-based and cost-efficient expansion of the transmission network 45 additional network expansion projects will be included in the federal requirements plan. The Federal Network Agency confirmed the necessity of these projects in the Electricity Network Development Plan 2023-2037/2045. They are also included in the transmission system operators current draft from March 2026. The draft contains 39 AC projects three interconnectors to neighboring countries (Denmark Great Britain and Switzerland) two direct current projects and one offshore connection line.

In addition cost efficiency in the entire energy system should be improved. A cost reduction can be achieved in particular by implementing new direct current projects as overhead lines as these are cheaper compared to underground cables.

As soon as the power lines are in operation consumers will be burdened with lower costs for network congestion management. These currently arise because the feed-in from systems in areas with limited grid capacity is reduced while additional generation is activated in other regions (so-called redispatch).

You can find the draft law here:
BMWE | Federal Government Bill - Draft of a Second Act to Amend the Federal Requirements Plan Act (PDF 296 KB)

Further information on network expansion can be found at www.netzausbau.de.