Power for the Upper Palatinate: SPIE installs high-voltage overhead power line for TenneT

Schwarzenfeld, 6 October 2022 – SPIE Deutschland & Zentraleuropa, the German subsidiary of SPIE, the independent European leader in multi-technical services in the areas of energy and communications, is making yet another contribution to the energy transition in Germany. On behalf of the network operator TenneT, the multi-technical service provider is implementing around 15 kilometres of extra-high-voltage overhead power line (380 kV) between Schwandorf and Etzenricht in order to transport wind energy from north to south and enable decentralized local feed-in of renewable energies in the future.

Total commitment to the energy transition

SPIE is implementing a high-voltage overhead power line in the Upper Palatinate for TenneT that extends around 15 kilometres. The project, for which SPIE Deutschland & Zentraleuropa’s High Voltage operational division is responsible, includes the installation of 41 380 kV overhead line pylons, the corresponding cable-running work and then the dismantling of the existing line that is no longer capable of meeting future requirements. Natural or infrastructural obstacles, such as numerous underground water sources or railway lines, are some particular challenges for the implementation of this project. As a result, a large number of foundations with large bored piles are required. the creation of access roads to the site and the temporary laying of field installation cables are also necessary. The pylon realisation thus involves a total of around 3400 tonnes of material. To meet the ambitious schedule, more than 100 SPIE employees are working alongside employees from partner companies. “We have deployed highly experienced teams to the project that can depend on each other completely even when working at height,” said Project Manager Sebastian Bauer.

High quality standards on-site

To ensure that this challenging project can be implemented with our usual high level of quality, other operational divisions from SPIE Deutschland & Zentraleuropa, including CityNetworks & Grids and Central Europe, are involved. They cover all work steps from planning to realisation. “We are proud to join forces here on this project and thereby make our contribution to the success of the energy transition,” commented Ralf Schlosser, Head of the Line Construction business unit in the High Voltage operational division at SPIE Deutschland & Zentraleuropa. The multi-technical service provider will benefit from already having been involved in the implementation of extensive projects in the Schwandorf region over decades. What is more, the collaboration with the network operator TenneT has been tried and tested for many years.

Civic participation and protection of birds

The project also represents a challenge because with such comprehensive work, it is necessary to take the environmental conditions into consideration to a degree. Thus, the employees on-site are, of course, bearing provisions concerning the protection of birds, water and nature in mind as well as those relating to archaeology. The local citizens were already formally involved during the planning approval procedure and can contact the responsible citizens’ liaison officer at TenneT at any point in the project.