Leoben Connection
The new Leoben connection will ensure supply security in the region and support increasing electrification of business and industry, for example for steel production. Thus the project will make an important contribution to the success of energy transition.
Essential for energy transitions: An additional grid supply point for the region
Demands on the power grid have increased greatly in recent decades, and demand will only continue to rise. Energy market forecasts calling for increasing electrification of the economy, industry and society clearly indicate the rising importance of having a sustainable, high-capacity electricity grid.
Electricity is becoming more and more important as a source of energy for industrial purposes above all. For example, voestalpine Stahl Donawitz GmbH plans to transition to clean steel production by 2027 by replacing the fossil fuels used in conventional steel production with renewable sources of energy. This will reduce CO2 emissions enormously and make a major contribution to the success of energy transition.
To meet future demand and maintain a high level of energy security in Austria, APG will be investing around 9 billion euros in upgrading the domestic electricity infrastructure by 2034. The new Leoben connection is part of the investment project.
Essential for energy security in the region
The existing Hessenberg substation is the main facility supplying Energienetze Steiermark?GmbH, the regional distribution system operator (DSO). APG’s planned new substation in Leoben will add another grid supply point for this DSO in the future. This will significantly improve security of supply in the region.
Crucial for the success of energy transition
The Austrian federal government has set ambitious targets for achieving energy transition. For example, the government intends for Austria to be carbon-neutral by 2040 and to cover 100% of its electricity consumption (national energy balance) from renewables by 2030.
A modern electricity infrastructure is needed to handle the growing development of renewable energy sources such as hydropower, wind energy and solar power in the region. In building the new Leoben substation with its line connection from the Hessenberg substation, APG is making an important contribution to the success of energy transition not only in this region, but in all of Austria.
Locally generated, sustainable energy can be fed into APG’s trans-regional network via the Leoben and Hessenberg substations and supplied for use Austria-wide. The same is true in reverse: sustainable electricity from other regions of Austria can be brought to the region via the two substations. The actions APG is taking will ensure that electricity from renewable sources can always be transported to wherever it is currently needed.?
Project ticker
All current information about the project at a glance.
Project ticker
All current information about the project at a glance.
- Update
Construction progress on schedule
About halfway through implementation, APG, Energie Steiermark and voestalpine AG invited guests to a site inspection of the construction progress at the new Leoben substation, which is currently under construction, on July 9, 2025. The construction site excursion was attended by Gerhard Christiner, Spokesman of the Management Board and Chief Technical Officer of APG, Martin Graf, Director of the Management Board of Energie Steiermark, Franz Kainersdorfer, Member of the Management Board of voestalpine AG and Head of the Metal Engineering Division, Gerald Deutschmann, President of the Styrian Parliament (representing Styrian Governor Mario Kunasek), Markus Kraxner, District Governor of Leoben, and the mayors of the two project municipalities Kurt Wallner, Mayor of Leoben, and Wolfgang Gomar, Mayor of St. Peter-Freienstein. Peter-Freienstein.
The measures of the "New Leoben Connection" project include the expansion of the existing Hessenberg substation (St. Peter-Freienstein), the construction of the new Leoben substation (Leoben) and around 7 kilometers of line construction. The construction work is fully on schedule. The planned completion at the end of 2026 will mark a milestone for decarbonization and Austria as an industrial location. The 118 million euros invested in this project will not only create regional added value, but also enable a secure and affordable energy transition in the region and Austria.
For more information and details on the current status of the project, please see our press release.</p
Start of construction at Leoben substation
Construction of the Leoben substation (UW) began at the end of July 2024 as part of the "New Leoben connection" project. The new substation will serve as an additional grid support for the 110 kV grid of the regional distribution grid operator and as a 220 kV feed-in point for the local steel industry for the construction of an electric arc furnace (EAF) at the Donawitz site. This is the basis for a significant CO2 reduction in the area of steel production.
Many technical challenges had to be overcome for the safe construction site installation. You can find all the details in our press release.
APG in conversation: Information talk day in St. Peter-Freienstein
On April 4, APG and the municipality of St. Peter-Freienstein invited landowners and residents to a project information event in the community's cultural hall to discuss details of the "New Leoben Connection" project and the work around the Hessenberg substation. Just over 50 interested citizens took up the offer and spent several hours talking to APG and municipal employees. A large number of questions were answered individually and the various aspects of this project were discussed together with the interested visitors.</p
2024 - 2026
25
Increasing electrification
approx. 118 Mio €
2
6,7 km
Project Roadmap
Bauphase
Implementation of the project
StWG decision
Positive StWG decisions have been received from the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility and Technology and the Styrian state government.
<pNegotiations according to StWG
Negotiations according to StWG (BMK & Styrian provincial government)
Submission according to StWG
The project was submitted to the relevant authorities, the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK) and the Styrian provincial government in accordance with the Styrian Act on Climate Action
<pEIA assessment notice
Decision of the Styrian provincial government, stating "no EIA obligation"
Submission of EIA determination application
The project was submitted to the Styrian provincial government to determine whether an EIA is required.</p
Frequently asked questions - FAQ
The construction phase for the Leoben connection project is scheduled to run from 2024 to 2026.
The route corridor for the first section of the existing 220-kV line extending from the Hessenberg substation to Ternitz will be optimised to avoid populated areas. The first line section will be built as a four-system 220-kV line until Pylon 12, where the lines will split. From here, one two-system line will continue on to Ternitz and the other will run to the Leoben substation. The Leoben substation to be newly built will serve as an additional grid supply point for Energienetze Steiermark GmbH. It will also serve as a central grid connection point for voestalpine Stahl Donawitz GmbH.
Concrete measures:
- Conversion & extension of the Hessenberg substation by four 220 kV switchgear panels.
- Conversion of the existing line to a 4-system line from the Hessenberg substation to mast 12:
- Bending between the Hessenberg substation and mast 5 as well as mast 9 and mast 12
- Dismantling of the existing line between the Hessenberg substation and mast 5 as well as mast 9 and mast 12
- New construction of a 2-system 220 kV line from pylon 12 to the new Leoben substation
- New construction of the 220/110 kV substation Leoben
The project will affect two municipal areas:
- Town of Leoben (Stadtgemeinde)
- Market municipality of St. Peter-Freienstein (Marktgemeinde)
The project comprises 25 electricity pylons and the route corridor will be approximately 6.7 km long.
Yes, the project includes a total of two substations: the existing Hessenberg substation, which will undergo conversion work involving the addition of four 220-kv switchgear panels, and the 220/110-kV Leoben substation, which will be newly built as part of the project.
The existing Hessenberg substation is the main facility supplying Energienetze Steiermark GmbH, the regional distribution system operator (DSO). APG’s planned new substation in Leoben will add another grid supply point for this DSO in the future. This will significantly improve security of supply in the region.
A request by APG to the Styrian state government in August 2021 to determine whether the project was subject to an environmental impact assessment (EIA) revealed that the project was not subject to an EIA and thus does not require approval under the High Voltage Lines Act (Starkstromwegegesetz, StWG). At the end of June 2022, the project was submitted to the competent authorities as required by relevant Austrian state and federal law (the High Voltage Lines Act (StWG), the Nature Conservation Act, the Forestry Act, the Water Act, the Aviation Act and the Building Rights Act).
The public StWG negotiations took place in Leoben in September 2022. The positive StWG decisions from the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility and Technology and the Styrian provincial government have been available since December 2022.
Other specialist areas (e.g. nature conservation, forestry) were examined in individual procedures with the relevant authorities. A positive and legally binding decision has been issued for all specialist areas.
Our power lines can impact properties in one of three ways:
- when an electricity pylon is erected on the property;
- when the property is traversed by overhead transmission lines (whereby only the land within the easement area through which the lines run is impacted); and
- when forest areas are cleared.
The compensation to be paid for appropriated land (including agricultural land and forested areas) is stipulated in a framework agreement, drafted in cooperation with the Styrian Chamber of Agriculture. The agreement covers the calculation of the compensation amount stipulated in the private-law easement agreements to be entered into by mutual agreement with all property owners. It also stipulates a number of general conditions relevant to the construction and operation of transmission line systems.
The framework agreement apply equally to all land used for agricultural or forestry purposes, thus ensuring a uniform and equitable approach toward all. APG places great priority on equal treatment for all property owners.
In the case of land that is not designated for agricultural or forestry use, separate appraisals will be made to determine the compensation amount.
The property management team is already in personal contact with the affected landowners.
Contact person
Andreas Pischel
Project Lead Line construction
Wolfgang Ranninger
Project Lead Substations
Stefan Walehrach
Project communication
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