VINCI Construction wins a DC powerline undergrounding contract on the SuedOstLink project in Germany

TenneT, a transmission system operator in Germany, has awarded VINCI Construction GeoInfrastructure the undergrounding contract for the direct-current powerlines on the SuedOstLink project between Marktredwitz and Pfreimd in Bavaria.

The project will supply Bavaria with clean and affordable electricity starting in 2027. SuedOstLink is a key component in Germany’s energy transition programme, which is aimed at achieving climate neutrality by 2045. The DC powerline will carry wind energy from the north of the country to its industrial south, where conventional power stations are gradually being phased out.

VINCI Construction GeoInfrastructure has been tasked with the civil engineering works and the project will unfold in two stages:

• End of August 2024 to December 2026: earthworks and undergrounding of the sleeves spanning approximately 90 km, and construction of the worksite access roads. During this stage, VINCI Construction GeoInfrastructure will enlist expertise from Spiecapag and HDI, two VINCI Construction subsidiaries specialised in laying underground pipelines.
• December 2026 to May 2028: underground access work to lay four 525 kV DC powerlines in the sleeves.

On this project, VINCI Construction GeoInfrastructure will use trenchless techniques, notably including directional drilling, which enable it to clear a variety of obstacles (wetlands, waterways, biotopes) while limiting the operation’s environmental footprint. Similarly, the extracted materials will be reused on site as much as possible to avoid transporting waste and using raw materials from quarries.