The A-Nord power line will bring wind energy from the North Sea to North Rhine-Westphalia, providing two gigawatts of transmission capacity from 2027. The approximately 300 km long line will be laid as an underground cable. The power cables are protected by egeplast Power Protect protection pipes.
Construction work has begun on the highway of the future: From 2027, the A-Nord underground cable route will supply two million people in North Rhine-Westphalia with electricity from wind farms in the North Sea. Following an IPA selection process (integrated project execution), a consortium of construction companies was commissioned to build the underground cable route. This process makes it possible to involve the companies involved in all decisions at an early stage and to ensure close, efficient cooperation while maintaining fair and transparent values.
The route is divided into six construction sections, three of which are located in Lower Saxony and three in North Rhine-Westphalia. Parallel to the A-Nord route, the offshore connection DolWin4/Borwin4 will be laid from Leer to Wietmarschen over a length of approx. 100 km. This means that a total of 10 cable protection pipes for underground cable construction and several accompanying pipes will be laid in this section, and up to 14 cable protection pipes in HDD crossings. The construction of two sections in Lower Saxony is predominantly the responsibility of the construction company Bohlen & Doyen Bau GmbH within the IPA organisation. egeplast international GmbH was largely commissioned with the supply of the cable protection pipe systems.
Philipp Oliv, Project Manager Bohlen & Doyen Bau GmbH: “We are pleased to have gained egeplast as an experienced supplier in the field of cable protection pipes for underground cable construction. We have successfully completed other projects together in the past and look forward to continuing our cooperation.” Dr.-Ing. Marius Schröer, Head of Civil Engineering Execution in Lower Saxony IPA A-Nord at Amprion: “Amprion has also been able to rely on the experience and flexibility of egeplast as a reliable supplier for cable protection pipe systems in previous underground cable projects and looks forward to working together on this challenging project as well.”
The order volume amounts to more than 20 million euros, making the project the largest single order in the history of egeplast. Dr. Ansgar Strumann, Managing Partner: “We would like to thank all the companies involved within IPA A-Nord for the trust they have placed in us and the opportunity to participate as the main supplier in this pioneering project that is so important for the energy transition!” The scope of delivery includes egeplast Power Protect protective pipes from OD 250 to OD 450 mm as well as accessories.
Following the groundbreaking ceremony on October 23, 2023, with the participation of Robert Habeck, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and the Environment, the first earthworks began near Meppen-Versen as part of an early start to construction according to §44c EnWG. In addition to a short section in the Open Trench Installation, the B 402 federal highway has already been crossed several times using the HDD method. Until shortly before Christmas 2023, the work could be continued despite adverse weather conditions and, after a short winter break at the turn of the year, was resumed on January 15, 2024. Another construction phase was built in the Lohne-Wietmarschen area using both open and closed construction methods.
At the end of February 2024, welding work began for the Installation of 10 pipe strings using the ploughing method. This method has already been successfully tested several times and is now being used on further test sections with different geological conditions. After the approval of the planning permission for the other route sections, the civil engineering work will also be started there without delay. In the second half of the year, more than 1,000 employees are expected to be working on the entire route.
Project description
Construction of a cable duct system over a length of approx.
300 km (A-Nord) and a parallel line as an offshore connection
(DolWin4/BorWin4; approx. 100 km)
Challenges
Installation in different geological conditions and
crossing of various intersection partners, taking into account all
legislation and guidelines within the specified time
Solution
egeplast Power Protect protection pipe systems for underground cable construction in
high and extra-high voltage grids
Installation
Open Trench Installation in fluid soil, trenchless crossing as HDD,
ploughing method in the test field
Pipe system
egeplast Power Protect pipes d 250 mm SDR 17, d 280 mm
SDR 11, d 315 mm SDR 11 & d 450 mm SDR 7.4; PE-HD pilot pipes / d 50 x 4.6 mm SDR 11; various fittings and
connection parts for creating push-fit and welded connections
Project participants
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)
