Bundled procurement accelerates grid expansion: SPIE installs five substations for TenneT in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

Hamburg, 19 March 2026 – SPIE, the independent European leader in multi-technical services in the areas of energy and communications, will install five substations for transmission system operator TenneT Germany under a bundled contract, the first time such an arrangement has been agreed. With this coordinated approach, both partners ensure that the necessary implementation capacity is in place to deliver key grid nodes for the energy transition. The framework agreement runs for around eight years. Implementation is scheduled to begin in summer 2026, with phased commissioning continuing through to the end of 2033.

In south-west Schleswig-Holstein, five new 380/110 kV substations will be installed at Büttel Süd, Stegau (Mehlbek), Hochwöhrden, Steinburg district and Albersdorf. At some of the locations the new substations will have several dozen switch gear panels and make a significant contribution to the integration of renewable energy sources and the stabilisation of the transmission grid.

The project is being delivered by a consortium of SPIE, Matthäi and Wiesensee. In this partnership, SPIE is responsible for technical management under a general contractor arrangement. The scope of services covers structural and civil engineering, steel construction, including detailed design for primary systems, electrical engineering for primary systems, installation works at the 380 kV and 110 kV levels, as well as support during commissioning and handover.

Bundled procurement approach guarantees implementation capacity

Bundled contracting enables the integrated management of all trades and addresses a key bottleneck in grid expansion: available implementation capacity. This structured approach allows TenneT to reduce interfaces, secure long-term resources and lay the groundwork for the efficient and on-schedule implementation of complex grid nodes. At the same time, it takes requirements for the reduction of carbon emissions along supply chains into account, pairing efficiency with sustainability.

Sustainability concept as a stand-alone evaluation criterion

This is the first time that a stand-alone sustainability component has been included in a TenneT substation tender evaluation. Measures for the systematic reduction of carbon emissions were directly integrated into the overall assessment. “SPIE developed a project-specific sustainability concept in consultation with TenneT, outlining quantifiable measures to reduce carbon emissions across materials, logistics, site processes and project management,” explained Patrick Wiesmüller, North East Substations Branch Manager at SPIE Germany Switzerland Austria. Wiebke Jacobsen, Sustainability Manager at SPIE, added, “Requirements of transparency and traceability have become significantly more stringent. Using this approach, we are working with TenneT on making the impact of carbon emissions within the project quantifiable, thereby creating a robust basis for decision-making, and ensuring that sustainability is measurable and manageable.”

Building capacity in northern Germany

To deliver the programme, SPIE is expanding its capacity in Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg. The long-term project structure enables forward-looking personnel and resource planning, as well as the targeted growth of regional teams. “Grid expansion, particularly its implementation, presents significant challenges for all stakeholders. Bundled projects, clearly defined responsibilities and long-term planning enable us to create the necessary framework to reliably deliver complex grid infrastructure projects,” emphasised Burkhard Sager, General Manager of the High Voltage Operational Division at SPIE Germany Switzerland Austria.

The award of this contract strengthens the strategic partnership between SPIE and TenneT, highlights SPIE’s expertise as an implementation partner for complex grid infrastructure projects and demonstrates how this structured approach is helping to accelerate grid expansion and the energy transition.