Warning Against "Sewing Machine"-Style Power Grid Expansion
June 23, 2026
Source: E & M powernews
Experts expressed differing views in the Bundestag regarding the amendment to the Federal Requirements Plan Act. The focus was on the costs associated with overhead lines and underground cables.
The planned amendment to the Federal Requirements Plan Act (BBPlG) met with approval during the Bundestag hearing of the Energy Committee. On June 22, the invited experts stated that updating the requirements plan for the electricity transmission grids was necessary to meet rising electricity demand and support the expansion of renewable energy.
However, there was disagreement regarding the financing of the grid expansion and the question of whether new direct-current lines should primarily be built as overhead lines or as underground cables.
Economist Patrick Kaczmarczyk from the University of Mannheim welcomed the inclusion of additional grid expansion projects in the bill. In doing so, the federal government recognizes the central role of transmission grids in achieving a climate-neutral electricity supply. At the same time, Kaczmarczyk criticized the fact that the issue of financing is largely overlooked in the draft bill.
According to his calculations, investments of approximately 651 billion euros will be needed to expand the transmission and distribution grids by 2045. Of this amount, 328 billion euros would go toward the transmission grids and 323 billion euros toward the distribution grids. According to his figures, financing the grid expansion through private equity would burden electricity customers with additional costs of around 110 billion euros by 2037.
Kaczmarczyk therefore advocated for greater public participation in the transmission grids. As possible measures, he cited an expansion of government stakes in grid operators as well as aligning the return on equity more closely with the actual risk of the grid infrastructure.
Underground Cables Too Expensive
Andreas Feicht of the Cologne-based utility Rheinenergie reiterated that underground cables are significantly more expensive than overhead lines. This also applies to operations, because underground cables have a shorter service life. As a result, electricity becomes unnecessarily expensive. It had previously been assumed that underground cables would be more widely accepted. This has proven to be incorrect, which is why he advised against the exceptions provided for in the draft bill.
Representatives of the transmission system operators also supported this view. Werner Götz, CEO of Transnet BW, warned that further delays would complicate the planning and implementation of important infrastructure projects. Götz was particularly critical of the exceptions to the planned priority for overhead lines.
In his assessment, alternating between overhead lines and underground cables on a section-by-section basis leads to additional planning efforts, higher costs, and longer approval processes. According to Transnet BW, the planned DC42 and DC42plus direct-current projects alone could yield savings of around 10 billion euros.
No Fragmentation of Lines
The transmission system operator Amprion also spoke out against partial underground cabling. In his statement, Guido Hermeier, Head of Commercial Law, warned against so-called “patchwork solutions,” in which overhead line and underground cable sections alternate within a single project. This, he said, leads to additional planning and permitting efforts as well as greater legal uncertainty.
At the same time, Amprion advocated for greater technological openness. Legislators should determine early on for each project whether overhead lines or underground cables will be used. In doing so, regional characteristics, costs, acceptance issues, and technical developments could be taken into account.
Do Not Change Plans Retrospectively
Silke Weyberg, managing director of the Lower Saxony/Bremen Renewable Energy Association (LEE), highlighted a different priority. She generally welcomed the planned grid expansion but called for stronger strategic integration with the expansion of the hydrogen network and regional coordination of generation and consumption.
In her view, plans that have already been initiated should not be retroactively changed from underground cabling to overhead lines. Instead of a general preference for underground cabling, the association advocated for transparent criteria that would continue to allow for underground cabling in certain cases.
The draft amendment to the BBPIG aims to expand the German electricity transmission grid at the extra-high-voltage level more quickly, in a manner better aligned with demand, and more cost-effectively. To this end, 45 additional projects for expanding the power grid are to be included in the Federal Requirements Plan. Thirteen grid expansion projects are to be amended, and 58 projects are to be designated as having urgent priority.
Author: Susanne Harmsen
