After a construction period of about four years, the modernization of the 110 kV switchgear at Austrian Power Grid’s (APG) substation at Schwabeck has now been successfully completed. This will not only further increase the security of supply in Carinthia, but also improve the integration of renewable energies into the Austrian electricity grid.
The old 110 kV switchgear of APG connected at the Drau power plant Schwabeck has been thoroughly modernized over the past four years. In total 7.3 million euros were invested in the comprehensive renewal of the facility.
The 110 kV switchgear is an important regional grid node in the 110 kV grid and primarily serves to supply Carinthia with renewable energy from hydropower.
The highly complex work started in 2019 and was successfully completed at the end of the previous year. The facility was thus made fit for the energy transition: thanks to the modernization of the switchgear the feed-in of renewable hydropower into the Carinthian supply grid is secured for the next decades.
Project manager Wolfgang Ranninger: "The work was extremely challenging, but thanks to the high level of commitment of the entire APG team, it was completed on schedule, without compromising the security of supply and, above all, without any accidents." Christoph Schuh, APG company spokesperson: "Investments like these are the prerequisite for being able to guarantee a secure power supply even given the challenges of the energy transition." APG is investing around 3.5 billion euros in the Austrian electricity infrastructure over the next ten years. Schuh: "This is the key to meeting the demands of the future, the success of the energy transition and the electrification of the businesses, industry and society.
About Austrian Power Grid (APG)
As independent transmission system operator Austrian Power Grid (APG) is in charge of ensuring the security of electricity supply in Austria. With our high-performance and digital electricity infrastructure and the use of state-of-the-art technologies we integrate renewable energies, we are the platform for the electricity market, we provide access to reasonably priced electricity for Austria’s consumers and thus create the basis for Austria as supply-secure industrial and business location and place to live. The APG grid totals a length of about 3,400 km and is operated, maintained and continuously adapted to the increasing challenges of the electrification of businesses, industry and society by a team of approximately 733 specialists. Also in 2022 Austria had a security of supply of 99.99 percent and thus ranks among the top countries worldwide. Our investments of 490 million euros in 2023 (2022: 370 million euros) are a motor for the Austrian economy and a crucial factor in reaching Austria’s climate and energy targets. Until 2032 APG will invest a total of approximately 3.5 billion euros in grid expansion and renovation projects, which amounts to approximately 19 percent of the total of 18 billion euros which the energy industry will invest in the grid infrastructure over the next ten years.
Press contact
Christoph Schuh
