Tunnelling for Berlin Diagonal Power Link Completed
The underground electricity highway for Berlin is taking shape: In just two years and nine months, the “Candela” tunnel boring machine has reached its destination after almost 7 kilometers 20–30 m deep underground in Berlin: the Mitte substation. This completes the tunnel drive for the first section of the 380 kV diagonal power link in Berlin – a central building block for a future-proof power supply in the German capital.
From left to right: Stefan Kapferer (CEO 50Hertz), Bernard Gustin (CEO Elia Group), Henning Schrewe (Managing Director Implenia Civil Engineering GmbH), Kai Wegner (Governing Mayor of Berlin)
Credit/Quelle: Implenia
The Herrenknecht TBM’s cutting wheel weighing around 20 tons was successfully lifted out of the target shaft – a fitting way to celebrate the breakthrough. High-ranking guests such as the Governing Mayor Kai Wegner and representatives from 50Hertz, Elia Group and Implenia praised the project as a milestone in the energy transition. “The new diagonal power link stands for a stable, efficient power supply and brings us a good deal closer to our goal of climate neutrality,” explained Kai Wegner, Governing Mayor of Berlin.
The Berlin Diagonal Power Link
As part of the grid reinforcement of the 380 kV Berlin diagonal power link, 50Hertz Transmission GmbH (50Hertz) is planning to build a new underground 380 kV line between the Rudolf-Wissel-Brücke end pylon and the Mitte substation. The new facility will serve to increase transmission capacity and will replace the existing facility upon completion.
The 6.7 km long tunnel will be divided into three successive sections from west to east by four shaft structures. The tunnel begins on the site of the end pylon at the Rudolf-Wissel Bridge and leads via the intermediate shafts at the Charlottenburg substation and the Tiergarten park to the end shaft at the Mitte substation.
