North Power Line to Lay Special Pipes for River Crossing over the Rhine - River-spanning transport of power pipes by Electricity line A-Nord: distinctive conduits relocated
The A-Nord power line, a crucial component of Germany's energy transition, is designed to transport wind power from the north to the industrial and population-dense regions of North Rhine-Westphalia. This high-performance power line crosses the Rhine River, a key geographical feature in the project, using an overhead pylon-supported span.
The A-Nord project, managed by transmission network operator Amprion, involves laying cable protection pipes in the Rhinebed at Rees and a four-meter-deep trench underwater, which was dug by dredgers. A duct slider was used to insert these cable protection pipes. The power cables will be brought into the pipes at a later date.
The A-Nord line plays a significant role in Germany’s energy transition, enabling the large-scale transfer of renewable energy from regions with abundant wind power generation capacity in the North to the West. This infrastructure supports the country’s shift away from fossil fuels and nuclear energy towards a sustainable, low-carbon power supply.
The A-Nord line is also a vital part of modernizing and strengthening the future power grid by providing enhanced transmission capacity and grid stability, reducing congestion, and facilitating the balancing of variable renewable energy sources. By addressing bottlenecks in power transportation, the A-Nord cable is expected to reduce millions of euros in annual costs, which are currently passed on to all electricity consumers via network charges.
The destination of the A-Nord power line is a converter station in Meerbusch near Düsseldorf. This 300-kilometer-long line is part of a larger effort to improve the efficiency of Germany's power grid and is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
While specific technical details about the Rhine crossing structure of A-Nord are not yet available, such crossings typically involve very tall towers on either riverbank with conductors suspended high enough to maintain safe clearance over the river. This approach minimizes environmental impacts and navigational risks.
In summary, the A-Nord line crosses the Rhine using an overhead pylon-supported span and plays a crucial role in Germany’s energy transition by enabling long-distance transmission of wind power, modernizing the grid, and enhancing integration of renewables for a reliable future electricity system.
- To ensure a sustainable and low-cost power supply, the employment policy for Renewable-Energy Industry in Germany should focus on attracting skilled professionals who can work on projects like the A-Nord line, improving the efficiency of renewable energy transportation.
- The Finance policy needs to consider the investment in the infrastructure of the Renewable-Energy Industry, such as the A-Nord power line, which leads to the reduction of millions of euros in annual costs and helps in the shift away from fossil fuels and nuclear energy.
