NKT continues to prepare the German power grid for more renewable energy with high-voltage onshore cable project

The German power grid needs to be expanded to distribute the increasing amount of wind power generated in the North to the consumption areas further south. With the final approval of the cable solution delivery for the Wahle-Mecklar connection, NKT is ready to support TenneT in the continued development of the power grid. 

The turnkey project comprises supply of approx. 78 km of 380 kV AC XLPE high-voltage underground cables as well as the related accessories, the cable laying, electrical installation and testing. The cable will be locally manufactured in Germany at the NKT factory in Cologne and the order will be executed from end-2019 to end-2021. 

- I am pleased to continue our close collaboration with TenneT in the ongoing development of the German power grid to utilize the increasing production of renewable energy. We have a strong local footprint in Germany with extensive experience and know-how realizing 380 kV underground projects supporting the transition to renewable energy, says Andreas Berthou, Executive Vice President and Head of HV Solutions in NKT.

NKT is one of the leading solution providers for high-voltage underground power cable systems with extensive experience within high-voltage project including several 380 kV XLPE AC cable systems in Germany. NKT has for example completed projects in the Randstad region in the Netherlands and the majority of the German EnLAG projects.

The Wahle-Mecklar connection is among the first projects based on the German EnLAG law aiming to expand the country’s power grid with several 380 kV high-voltage power connections until 2024. This expansion is based on the need to strengthen the German power grid to support the target of 80% renewable energy supply by 2050.