Power Grids in Europe

17 October 2016:
Doubt about economy for the Viking Link
The estimated cost of the Viking Link is 13.5 billion DKK. The project is expected to make losses the first 7 years of operation. The revenues depend on different carbon taxes in the two countries and on unexplained increasing revenues after 2030. Will it be just another public project based on too optimistic assumptions? The details of the profitability calculation are secret.

29 January 2016:
New German Offshore Wind Impedes Danish Electricity Export
Germany installed 1.77 GW wind power i the North Sea in the first half of 2015. Due to bottlenecks in the German grid, the export capacity from West Denmark to Germany was reduced by more than 50% from 2014 to 2015.
Read more here

11 January 2016:
e-Highway2050 - A European Grid Vision
Many ideas on a low-carbon European future have been presented. In most cases, the technical and political challenges have been ignored or played down.
Now, a large-scale project, supported by the EU 7th Framework Programme, has presented detailed analyses of the development of a European power grid from 2030 to 2050 in an excellent booklet.
See the booklet e-Highway2050 and my summary

17 April 2015:
The Congestion Problems between Norway and Germany
Some media have reported that Germany blocks import of power from Denmark. The Energiewende in Germany causes congestion of internal transmission grids. The German solution is redispatch, but limitations on international trade can reduce the cost of redispatch.
See my overview of the transmission projects in Schleswig-Holstein with my comments on the market arrangements.

23 May 2013:
New Norwegian Cables to Germany and Great Britain
Statnet has signed agreements on new interconnectors to Germany and Great Britain.
Read more here

1 May 2012:
New Evidence on Strained German Grids
In a letter to the European Commissioner for Energy, Günther Oettinger, the presiden of ENTSO-E, Daniel Dobbeni, has expressed concern about security of power system operation in Europe.
Besides, additional data from the 50Hertz area throws new light on the grid conditions in Germany in the first quarter of 2012.
See my additional comment
Here is the letter and the attached briefing paper

30 April 2012:
Study to Look at Interconnector between UK and Denmark
Energinet.dk has announced that a study of an interconnector between UK and Denmark will start immediately.
Read more at Energinet.dk

12th December 2011:
Scenarios for a national German grid development plan
For the first time ever a national grid development plan will be prepared jointly by the four German grid operators. Bundesnetzagentur (The Federal Network Agency) recently approved a framework of scenarios for the planning. The plan must be ready by June next year.
Find an overview of the scenarios here.

30th November 2009:
New Power cable between Norway and Denmark
Energinet.dk announces:
"Energinet.dk and Statnett - the transmission system operators in Denmark and Norway - have decided to build a new power cable between the two countries.
The Skagerrak 4 cable, as it is called, will have a capacity of 700 MW and is expected to be commissioned in 2014 provided the cable is given the seal of approval by the energy ministers of the two countries and the necessary authority approvals are obtained."
See the full text of the press release from Energinet.dk.

10th November 2009:
E.ON is selling its transmission grid to TenneT
The German energy company, E.ON, announces that it is selling its EHV transmission company, Transpower, to the Dutch transmission system operator, TenneT. The sale meets part of demands from EU and releases E.ON from suspicion of discrimination of market participants due to ownership of both power stations and transmission grids.
See the announcement from E.ON.

Opdateret d. 19.1.2017