SPIE to deliver replacement extra-high-voltage overhead line for TransnetBW on German-French border

Eichstetten am Kaiserstuhl, 24 March 2026 – SPIE, the independent European leader in multi-technical services for energy and communications, is erecting a replacement extra-high-voltage overhead line between Eichstetten am Kaiserstuhl and the German border with France on behalf of transmission system operator TransnetBW. The project has been part of the German Network Development Plan Electricity (Netzentwicklungsplan Strom) since 2017 and was confirmed in the Federal Requirements Plan Act in 2021. In the course of installation, the existing 220-kilovolt line will be replaced by a new 380-kilovolt line. 

Increasing the voltage level to 380 kilovolts enables larger volumes of electricity to be transmitted, particularly from renewable sources. The project will enhance the security of supply in Baden-Württemberg and strengthen cross-border electricity exchanges between Germany and France, making a key contribution to the European transmission network. 

As part of the project “380‑kV‑Grid Reinforcement Eichstetten – French border”, SPIE is already providing TransnetBW with support during the approval process and will be responsible for implementing the approximately 18-kilometre-long replacement project from 2027 onwards. The scope of services includes the installation of 51 new pylons, including new cabling, and the parallel dismantling of a total of 55 pylons. During the building phase, SPIE will install temporary lines to reliably ensure the energy supply at all times.

“Implementing the various installation phases while the grid remains in constant operation requires the utmost precision, technical expertise and close coordination between all parties involved – from the client to the teams on the ground,” explains Stefan Weikl, Branch Manager at SPIE Germany Switzerland Austria. 

Burkhard Sager, General Manager of the High Voltage operational division at SPIE Germany Switzerland Austria, adds: “The expansion of cross-border extra-high-voltage lines is a crucial component for maintaining grid stability in Germany and across Europe. Together with TransnetBW, we are paving the way for a secure and integrated energy transition.”