Dispute over Stromtrasse: Wiesbaden warns of train collision!

Dispute over Stromtrasse: Wiesbaden warns of train collision!

In the Rhine-Main area, there are currently considerable concerns about the planned electricity project that could affect the construction of the Wallauer railway line. The "Rhein-Main-Link", a project to transport wind energy from the north to Hessen, could conflict with the planned rail work of the Deutsche Bahn.

Wiesbaden's mayor Gert-Uwe Mende recently expressed his concern about the plans during an application conference of the Federal Network Agency. He pointed out that the proposed route for the Rhein-Main-Link could potentially cross the railway line. This new rail connection, which has been in discussion for many years, is to reduce the journey time from Wiesbaden Central Station to Frankfurt Airport to just 16 minutes.

technical details of the projects

The Wallauer Spang itself is a piece of almost four kilometers long, which acts as a connection between Wiesbaden and the Frankfurter branch of the Cologne - Rhein/Main express track. The construction for this rail project, which has not yet received a clear consent, is targeted for 2026, but ongoing plans already cause uncertainties.

On the other hand, the Rhein-Main-Link comprises a 600 kilometer-long electricity route, which is to include four earth cable connections from the North Sea to Hesse from 2033. A special feature of this route is that after completion, an approximately 40 meter wide protective strip must be kept free of any development. However, the exact course of the Stromtrasse has not yet been determined, and the transmission system operator Amprion checks various route variants.

Deutsche Bahn has already sent the Wallauer Spange to Amprion's first plans and expects close cooperation between the two sides. An appointment for planning is scheduled for mid -October. The train has explained that you have to wait and see to what extent the planned route will actually cross the railway line. It remains to be seen whether this could have an impact on the construction and operation of the railway line, since more information about amprion plans is required.

The possibility that electricity route and railway lines cross is not new. As in the current case, previous projects have also been designed in such a way that adjustments are made to meet both infrastructure projects. An existing 110 KV free line from the Syna company must even be placed higher so that the necessary distance to the overhead line can be observed.

This question of mutual influence is important from an ecological and economic point of view. Mende is aware of the need for additional electricity capacities to achieve the climate goals, but sees the requirement for earth cabling critically. This decision is not optimal economically and in terms of environmental technology and does not seem to be reversible. More details can be found in a detailed report in a detailed report www.fr.de .