Foundations laid for new substation in Berlin-Marzahn
10.11.2022
Investing in a high-performance power supply of the future
"In its 130-year history, there has never been more investment in Berlin’s electricity grid than this year. Marzahn-Hellersdorf is one beneficiary of this," states Dr Erik Landeck, Managing Director of Stromnetz Berlin, on the occasion of the laying of the foundation stone for a new 110 kV substation in the Berlin district. As Dr Landeck went on to note, "Another major investment project for the expansion of the Berlin electricity grid is visibly picking up speed. We are living up to our claim, as well as our mandate, to respond to the increasing needs of this growing city in good time."
By 2026, the new substation at Poelchaustraße with its modern switchgear will be built on the site at Märkische Allee. It is intended to replace the ageing Biesdorf Nord substation close by and to ensure a modern, reliable long-term power supply for the surrounding residential developments as well as adjacent industrial sites.
Juliane Witt saw the launch of the infrastructure project in person at the construction site today. On the occasion of the laying of the foundation stone, the District Councillor for Urban Development, Environmental Protection and Nature Conservation, Roads and Green Spaces explains: "Electrical energy ensures our quality of life. I am therefore delighted that Stromnetz Berlin is investing in the future of a secure electricity supply in Marzahn-Hellersdorf with the construction of the new Poelchaustraße substation. This is also essential for further urban development – and we have major plans in our district in that regard. In that spirit, I wish you every success with the construction process."
Stromnetz Berlin wants to maintain the high quality of supply of Germany’s largest urban electricity distribution grid in the long term. The new Poelchaustraße substation will play a role in this. The foundations were laid today to mark the start of construction of the building. The topping-out ceremony is scheduled for 2024. The electrotechnical equipment of the future power distribution system will then begin. According to current planning, installation of the switchgear is scheduled to start in autumn 2024, and the first transformer is expected in spring 2025.
If everything goes according to plan, the new plant will be commissioned in summer 2026. By that time, Stromnetz Berlin will have invested around EUR 27 million at the site in total. At 80 megavolt amperes (MVA), the size and performance of the new 110 kV substation is based on the wishes of customers in the supply area, as well as on increasing and rapidly changing power supply requirements. The new plant is therefore being equipped with state-of-the-art switching and control technology. Around 47,000 households and 2,300 commercial customers will benefit from this. As the plant is integrated into the central control system of the Berlin electricity grid, very short supply restoration times can be guaranteed in the event of malfunctions.
Investment strategy continues apace
Construction of the substation in Marzahn is not the only major infrastructure project that Stromnetz Berlin is currently working on: progress is being made on a number of other grid expansion measures, grid system upgrades, the establishment of high-performance customer connections for computer centres, and more electric mobility options. The topping-out ceremony for the Rollberg substation in Neukölln was celebrated this year, the foundation stone for the new Voltairestraße substation in Berlin-Mitte was recently laid, and the Wuhletal substation in Marzahn-Hellersdorf is about to be completed. In 2022, the company will spend around EUR 270 million on these and other projects to expand and maintain the distribution network in Germany's capital. This high level of investment activity will continue in the next few years. Investments of around EUR 1.6 billion are planned between 2022 and 2026. Stromnetz Berlin, the youngest company in the "regional family", focuses on the core elements of security of supply, customer orientation and climate protection.
Press photo: At the foundations laid - project leader Rene Görlitzer, Juliane Witt and Erik Landeck (from left)