KARLSRUHE/LEINGARTEN (dpa-AFX) - In the view of EnBW CEO Andreas Schell, no more time must be lost in the construction of the SuedLink power line. "The SuedLink transmission line is one of the key projects of the energy turnaround in Germany," the CEO of the Karlsruhe-based group told Deutsche Presse-Agentur. The link, which will bring wind power from the north to the south of the republic, is important beyond Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, for industry and private consumers, he said. Four gigawatts of capacity are at stake - the equivalent of two to three nuclear power plants.

On Thursday (July 27), German Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) is expected to attend the start of construction of a so-called converter in Leingarten near Heilbronn. Converters convert direct current into alternating current and vice versa. Alternating current comes from household sockets, where the voltage can be changed quite easily with transformers. For the long route from the north to the south of Germany, however, direct current is used because less energy is lost in the process.

In its coalition agreement, the German government lists SuedLink as one of its "particularly priority projects." "We have the dilemma in the country of delaying major projects," Schell said. "That must not happen in the case of SuedLink." In addition to the expansion of renewable energies and flexible power plants, that of the transmission grids is one of the most important points in the energy transition. "Successful expansion is a basic prerequisite for being able to phase out coal as early as 2028." EnBW had announced this goal in March.

SuedLink was actually supposed to have been completed last year. Now the target is 2028. Schell believes this is still realistic. The investment volume is around ten billion euros.

"SuedLink is one of the most technically complex transmission networks we are building," said the manager, clarifying the dimensions: The cables would have the diameter of a handball, and one meter would weigh 42 kilograms. Some roads were not designed for such a load and would have to be upgraded at certain points. At least 8,000 transport permits are needed. The route runs through 20,000 properties, some of which do not know their owners. In the project team of the EnBW subsidiary TransnetBW and Tennet, a few employees are solely responsible for concluding contracts with owners.

The electricity highway from Brunsbüttel in Schleswig-Holstein to Leingarten-Großgartach is to be around 700 kilometers long at the end. So far, a section of 17.6 kilometers from Leingarten to Bad Friedrichshall has been approved. The remaining procedures still have to go through the state authorities, the Group boss said. The last application should be submitted next year.

Schell appealed to process applications quickly and look for ways to save time. "For example, do you have to check all 8,000 permits for road transports individually, or can there be selective group releases for outward and return journeys?"

The bottleneck is permits, Schell said. He sees fewer supply bottlenecks for the material: The production of the cables has already started. There are several intermediate storage facilities spread across Germany, he said.

The major subprojects include laying the cables through a mine near Heilbronn and tunneling under the Elbe River. In general, politicians had decided to lay the cables largely underground. "They wanted to do the right thing by doing that because there would be less opposition," Schell said. "But it drives up the cost." The process is two to three times more expensive than overhead cables, he said. "We're going to have to talk about it, because there will be other projects after SuedLink," Schell said.

He added that this also applies to protests against such power lines per se. "My great wish is that we discuss this socially," the EnBW CEO said. "We need the Energiewende in Germany." He could understand uncertainties and rejection, Schell explained. "But at some point we have to get to the point."/kre/DP/zb