The 380 kV line at Dürnrohr – Vienna Southeast was built in the 1980s. In anticipation of future consumption behaviour, the system was already back then conceived as a quadruple line. Due to the grid-specific and operational requirements prevailing at the time, however, only two of the four possible 380 kV systems were implemented.
Now, in view of the tremendous increase of electricity generated from renewable energies, the installation of the third and fourth systems has become a stringent necessity. The two missing systems will therefore be installed in the segment between Dürnrohr and Sarasdorf on a stretch of 110 km length.
Transportation of wind power
In the east of Austria, enormous resources are available to facilitate the expansion of wind power. In recent years, wind power has already been advanced to a great extent; this development will be substantially reinforced over the next years by the amendment to the Austrian Green Electricity Act passed in 2012. The object is to triple the installed wind power capacity from currently approx. 1,000 MW to 3,000 MW by 2020.
The strongly fluctuating wind power capacity has to be able to be transported to the large Austrian consumption centres or stored intermediately in the pumped storage power plants of Central Austria. This urgently requires a reinforcement of the APG transmission grid in the east of Austria.
Security of supply for the Greater Vienna Area
Reinforcing the 380 kV line of Dürnrohr – Vienna Southeast will also mean a significant increase of supply security for the greater Vienna area. The city disposes of numerous power plants and therefore covers a substantial portion of electricity consumption especially in winter, when the power plants connected to the Vienna district heating network are also in operation for heat generation purposes. In summer, on the other hand, a large portion for covering requirements is gained from APG's transmission grid.