One of the most important infrastructure projects in Germany is going under the Elbe. The Suedlink tunnel to cross under the river between Wewelsfleth in Schleswig-Holstein and Wischhafen in Lower Saxony is ready.
The electricity highway is intended to run from Schleswig-Holstein via Lower Saxony and Thuringia to Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Schleswig-Holstein's Prime Minister Daniel Günther (CDU) and Christian Meyer, Lower Saxony's Environment Minister (Greens), have announced their participation in the symbolic tunnel breakthrough of the Elbe crossing in Wischhafen.
The Suedlink mega project - from north to south
The approximately 700 kilometer long power line is intended to transport the energy from wind turbines in Schleswig-Holstein to the south. The line will run completely underground and will also be laid through the federal states of Hesse and Thuringia. In detail, there are two power lines that should run largely parallel, but branch out at the start and end points.
At the end of 2028, six years later than originally thought, all construction phases should be completed, as network operator TransnetBW assures. When the work is completed, 8.5 million cubic meters of earth will have been moved. In addition to TransnetBW, the network operator Tennet is also involved in the ten billion euro project. Tennet is responsible for the federal states of Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony, with the exception of southern Lower Saxony.
What is the goal of the power line?
It is intended to transport electricity from the north to the south. Because: As part of the energy transition, more electricity is to be produced in the future by wind turbines in northern Germany instead of in conventional power plants near industrial centers distributed throughout the republic. In addition, Suedlink is intended to transport electricity from photovoltaic systems in southern Germany to the north or, in conjunction with other routes, to bring electricity from Norwegian hydropower to Germany.
Suedlink is also intended to help meet the expected increasing demand for electricity. The connection is expected to be able to supply ten million single-family households with electricity. TransnetBW said Suedlink could transport up to four gigawatts of electricity. That roughly corresponds to the output of four nuclear power plants. The prerequisite for this is that the power line is fully utilized.
Wind turbines in the north are currently often switched off because they produce too much electricity, said a spokesman. On the other hand, renewable energy sources would show large fluctuations in their electricity production.
Elbe crossing as a milestone
The company from Bayreuth described the Elbe crossing as a particularly challenging section. The Elsa tunnel boring machine reached the target shaft in Wischhafen in Lower Saxony after around one and a half years and 5.2 kilometers. A milestone for the mega project.
Starting at the end of 2027, the cables will be pulled into the four-meter-diameter shaft. The entire length of Suedlink is scheduled to go into operation by the end of 2028. The network operator TransnetBW is responsible for the southern part of the route.
In Lower Saxony, the electricity route begins after crossing the Elbe south of Brunsbüttel in Schleswig-Holstein. It then runs via Scheeßel west of the Lüneburg Heath to Hanover and from there via Elze near Hildesheim through southern Lower Saxony to Friedland just before the border with Hesse. Work on the underground routes is being progressed in many places at the same time - in the end the pieces of the puzzle will come together.
Obstacles such as roads or rivers must be drilled under. Only later will the power cables actually be laid. The work is scheduled to be completed with the planned opening of Suedlink at the end of 2028.
What do critics say? The project was controversial for a long time
Many citizens' initiatives have been fighting against the construction of the approximately 700 kilometer long project for years. They consider the four gigawatt route to be ecologically senseless and uneconomical. They fear that the electricity consumer will end up footing the bill. Many people also don’t want to have tall electricity pylons near them. This is also why the Suedlink should be laid completely underground.
Federal Energy Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) said at the start of construction for the Suedlink in Bavaria that underground cables would have helped “to get a better grip on local acceptance”, but would also have resulted in higher costs. Future similar construction projects should increasingly rely on above-ground cables again.
