"The West substation is essential for the supply of electricity to the people of Vienna and for the connection to the trans-regional transmission grid of Austrian Power Grid (APG). We are therefore particularly pleased that we were able to carry out the construction of our substation together with APG," said Gerhard Fida, CEO of Wiener Netze, at the official commissioning of the new substation.
Peter Reichel, Division Manager Assets at APG: "A stable electricity grid facilitates the electrification of all areas of life - from energy-intensive production processes in industry to e-mobility and electricity-based applications in the household sector. The new West substation is a crucial hub for the Austria-wide APG grid and, therefore, a key factor in maintaining stability and ensuring a high level of supply security in the future. Projects like these are the only way to achieve an affordable energy transition without jeopardizing the security of supply in Vienna and throughout Austria. In this respect, we are particularly pleased that the new plant will also secure the power supply of the Austrian Federal Railway (ÖBB) for the coming decades, with clean electricity from wind and solar power!" APG is investing 630 million euros in the expansion, reinforcement and digitalization of the grid infrastructure in 2025 alone.
A roof for the switchgear
The new substation at the Vienna West Gateway (Westeinfahrt) is designed to meet the growing demand for electricity from customers in Vienna and the surrounding area. The old systems were open-air systems. "The advantages of the new, modern switchgear, which is housed in a building, outweigh the disadvantages: it is protected from the weather, more compact, and also more powerful than the previous systems," explains Fida. The system is operated by Wiener Netze, which is also cheaper than operating the previous two separate switchgears, says the CEO of Wiener Netze.
Once the two 110 kV switchgears have been commissioned, the medium-voltage system will also be housed in the new building. Attention is also being paid to biodiversity on the site: A green façade and a green roof with a photovoltaic system to cover the plant’s electricity needs are now standard at Wiener Netze and part of every new construction project.
A total of 16 million euros was invested in remodeling the West substation. Around 6,000 m³ of soil had to be excavated for the construction project. Materials from the demolition were recycled on-site and reused. This significantly reduced the number of truck journeys and the associated CO2 emissions. Around 2,600 m³ of concrete and 280 tons of steel were used. "I am particularly pleased that the new, modern switchgear is going into operation in the middle of our anniversary ‘125 years of Vienna's municipal power supply’, emphasizes Wiener Netze CEO Fida.
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