Netze BW GmbH has announced two actions to bolster power transmission in Germany: a strengthening of the power grid in Kusterdingen and the latest biodiverse summation substation for Hechingen-Weilheim.

The first announcement sees the DSO starting an expansion and strengthening of the power grid in Kusterdingen by laying new power cables in the south of the municipality.

The summation substation is the latest result of a 3-year long and continuing partnership with Netze BW and Blühende Landschaft network, an organisation focused on strengthening a landscape for all pollinating insects.

With this expansion, the utility is hoping to prepare the power grid for future demand while ensuring security of supply on site.

The work began on district road K6903 in the area of ​​the Braike/Tübinger Straße roundabout and is carried out conventionally in open trenches. Several construction phases are planned.

On the first route from the Braike substation to the roundabout, the new power cables will be pulled into existing empty conduits. The cables then continue on the western side of Tübinger Strasse from the roundabout towards the junction with Lange Gasse.

Empty pipes for future grid supply will also be laid in the Teichäcker and Lange Gasse areas. A new, compact substation is also being built opposite the confluence of Lange Gasse and Tübinger Strasse.

According to Netze BW, construction is expected to end on 10 September 2022.

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The grid upgrades come after Netze BW installed the latest summation substation situated in Hechingen-Weilheim.

This is the latest from the partnership between Netze BW and Blühende Landschaft network, which began three years ago to turn the utility’s substations into summation substations; small oases for wild bees, bumblebees and other such pollinating insects.

Since the start of the partnership, colourful, species-rich flower meadows have been planted on previously unused areas in around 40 of the more than 300 substations of Netze BW. 

For the substation in Hechingen-Weilheim, in the next few years, an insect-friendly nutrient-poor lawn with many types of flowers will be developed on-site – for which only regional seeds have been used.

“In the substations, the voltage that is made available via the large, national power lines is stepped down for onward distribution over the area,” explains Andreas Herre, head of network operations south for Netze BW. 

“In addition to the transformers and switching devices required for this, there are often green areas that we keep free for expansion.”

With these meadows, which can have an area of ​​700 to 10,000 square meters depending on the location, it is the utility’s hope to promote biodiversity in the area.

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