A-Nord: The main artery of the energy transition
The A-Nord power line will transport wind energy from the North Sea to North Rhine-Westphalia, thus providing two gigawatts of transmission capacity from 2027 onwards. The power line, which spans a distance of approx. 300 km, will be installed using underground cables. The power lines will be protected by egeplast Power Protect protective pipes.
The construction works for the highway of the future have begun: From 2027, the A-Nord underground cable route will supply two million consumers in North Rhine- Westphalia with electricity from the wind farms in the North Sea. Following an IPA (integrated project management) selection procedure, a consortium of contractors was commissioned to construct the power line. This kind of procedure allows for including the companies involved in all decision-making processes from early on and ensuring a close and efficient cooperation while guaranteeing maintenance of the values of fairness and transparency.
The route consists of six sections, three of them located in Lower Saxony and three in North Rhine-Westphalia. At the same time with the A-Nord, another route over a distance of approx. 100 km will be constructed: from Leer to Wietmarschen for the DolWin4/ Borwin4 offshore connection. Thus, a total of 10 cable protection pipes for underground cable installation and several accompanying pipes will be installed in this section, with up to 14 cable protection pipes at the sites of HDD installations.
Under the umbrella of the IPA, the construction of two sections in Lower Saxony will largely be managed by Bohlen & Doyen Bau GmbH. The main supplier used to supply the cable protection systems was egeplast international GmbH. Project Manager Philipp Oliv from Bohlen & Doyen Bau GmbH commented: “We are pleased to have egeplast as an experienced supplier of cable protection pipes for underground cables at our side. We have already been able to successfully carry out various other projects together in the past and are looking forward to continuing our cooperation”. Dr.- Ing. Marius Schröer, in charge of the execution of the civil engineering works in Lower Saxony IPA A-Nord with Amprion, stated, “Against the background of other underground cable projects in the past, where Amprion could count on the experience and flexibility of egeplast as reliable suppliers of cable protection systems, Amprion is looking forward to also cooperate with egeplast for this ambitious project“.
The order volume amounts to more than 20 million euros, making this project the largest single order in the history of egeplast. Dr. Ansgar Strumann, the Managing Director of egeplast, stated, “We thank all companies involved in the IPA A-Nord for their trust in us and for giving us the opportunity to contribute as the main supplier to this forward-looking project, which is vitally important for the energy transition!” The delivery scope includes egeplast Power Protect protective pipes from DA 250 to DA 450 mm as well as accessories.
At the end of February 2024, the welding operations related to the laying of 10 pipe strings using the ploughing method were initiated. Tests have shown this approach to be successful multiple times in the past, and it has now come to be applied for additional test sections under a variety of different geological conditions.
Once the plan approval notice for the other pipeline sections has been received, civil engineering works there will also be initiated promptly. As a result, a workforce of more than 1,000 employees are expected to be working along the entire route in the second half of the year.
Project data:
| Project description: | Establishment of an empty cable conduit on a length of approx. 300 km (A-Nord) and a parallel power line as an offshore connection (DolWin4/BorWin4; approx. 100 km) |
| Challenges: | Installation in different geological conditions and crossing of various crossing partners in consideration of all regulations and guidelines within the allotted time |
| Solution: | egeplast Power Protect protective pipe systems for underground cable installation in the high- and ultrahigh voltage network |
| Installation: | Open-trench installation in liquid soil, trenchless crossing by means of HDD, ploughing method in the testing field |
| Pipe system: | egeplast Power Protect Rohre d 250 mm SDR 17, d 280 mm SDR 11, d 315 mm SDR 11 & d 450 mm SDR 7,4; PE-HD tracer pipes / d 50 x 4,6 mm SDR 11; various fittings and connection pieces for the purpose of establishing plug-in and welded connections |
| Parties involved in the project: | Amprion GmbH; Amprion Offshore GmbH; IPA A-Nord (Fischer Teamplan Ingenieurbüro GmbH, Bohlen & Doyen Bau GmbH, Heidkamp Erd- und Straßenbau GmbH, Bogenstahl Bauunternehmen GmbH, Heidkamp & Hülscher GmbH & Co. KG, Rohrleitungsbau Niederrhein GmbH, Klaus Stewering GmbH & Co. KG) |
Author
Dr. Marius Schröer
Amprion GmbH
Email: Marius.Schrooer@amprion.net
Phone: +49 174 2306 151
Author
M. Eng. Philipp Oliv
Bohlen & Doyen GmbH
Email: p.oliv@bohlen-doyen.com
Phone: +49 160 7453 758
Contact
Heiner Dokters
egeplast international GmbH
Email: Heiner.Dokters@egeplast.de
Phone: +49 2575 9710 141
