Suche
Power grids of the future: New projects start in Lienz!
An information fair about the new 380kV line from Lienz to Lower Carinthia will start on October 6th, which will also affect Nikolsdorf.
Power grids of the future: New projects start in Lienz!
In Lienz the starting signal is given for two important infrastructure projects in the area of electricity supply. Again Dolomite town reported, an information fair by Austria Power Grid AG (APG) will take place on October 6th in the Kolping Hall, which welcomes all interested parties from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. As part of this event, information will be provided about the planned 380 kV line between Lienz and Obersielach near Völkermarkt in Carinthia. The exact details and course of the project will be presented here.
The information fair was preceded by important steps in project implementation. The expansion of the 380 kV line is part of a broader strategy to make Austria's power grids future-proof. As part of this strategy, the renewal of the 220 kV line from the Lienz substation to Italy is also being pursued. This project is currently in the review phase, with construction scheduled to begin in summer 2027.
Public acceptance and transparent information
Public support for these projects is largely positive. Although there are some concerns, there have been no major protests so far. Mayor Elisabeth Blanik has, among other things, called for the new power lines to be laid as underground cables for optical reasons, but this has little chance of success. State Governor Peter Kaiser is committed to transparently informing the population about the progress of the projects and demands that citizens' concerns be heard.
A more precise map showing the affected communities such as Lienz, Nußdorf-Debant, Dölsach and Nikolsdorf was presented in Klagenfurt on September 29th. The project partners APG and Kärnten Netz are actively trying to create public acceptance for the 190 kilometer long line. The construction of the new 380 kV route is intended to improve grid stability and eliminate bottlenecks, especially in view of a forecast doubling of electricity demand in Austria within the next 15 years. In addition, the combination of renewable energies should be supported.
The energy transition and its challenges
The expansion of renewable energies is of central importance not only in Austria, but also in Germany. As on the website of Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy As can be seen, the energy transition poses new challenges for the power supply. System services that were previously primarily provided by conventional power plants must increasingly be provided by renewable generation, storage and consumption systems. These changes create a need to intensify cooperation between different network operators.
In order to ensure the safe and stable operation of the power grids with 100% renewable energy, a roadmap for system stability is being developed, the results of which are expected by the end of 2023. The Federal Network Agency also requested a system stability report on June 13, 2023, which must be submitted by May 3, 2024. The focus here is primarily on technical requirements and the need for instantaneous reserves.
Finally, it will be interesting to see how the projects in Lienz will develop. The preparatory work is promising, but it remains to be seen how the planned measures for the stability and modernization of the power grid in the region can ultimately be implemented. It is clear that the challenges of the energy transition require not only technical solutions, but also an open ear for citizens' concerns.