To advance the energy transition and pave the way for a climate-friendly energy system, transmission system operator Amprion is expanding the German power grid.
The extra-high voltage grid transports electricity across an area from Lower Saxony to the Alps and supports industry in decarbonization. With the major A-Nord project, Amprion will transport wind power from northern Lower Saxony to North Rhine-Westphalia, with a transmission capacity of two gigawatts covering the needs of two million people. For this project involving approximately 300 km of underground cable, Amprion expects a construction period of about three years.
Dr. Jörn Koch, Head of Direct Current Grid Projects, explains in an interview how Amprion is shaping the energy transition.
The required power transmission lines from north to south reach a new dimension in terms of civil engineering and pipeline construction capacity. Do you believe implementation will proceed as planned from 2024?
We are quite optimistic, but a certain degree of uncertainty remains regarding the course of the approval procedures. The outcome of the participation process can also have an impact on the schedule. Fundamentally, however, Amprion has created all the prerequisites for construction to start in 2024 and has also secured the necessary resources in terms of civil engineering and planning at an early stage. The procurement of materials such as cable protection pipes can be initiated at short notice, and the acquisition of the required private rights has also commenced. This means we will have sufficient construction clearance at the start of construction. We are attempting to rule out delays in the approval process in advance, for example through permanent and intensive dialogue with the approval authority. Our technically and environmentally excellent planning documents, which are prepared together with our service providers, also make us confident that only minor plan changes will occur after the participation phase and that time delays can thereby be averted. As you can see: Amprion has done its homework.
Was the procurement of HDD capacity given special consideration?
Naturally, the availability of HDD capacity plays an important role in the realization of HVDC (high-voltage direct current transmission) projects. That is why, for example, with A-Nord we made sure to secure the necessary HDD capacity early on. However, we do not consider the drilling method separately, but are generally committed to securing the necessary resources at an early stage.
Amprion adopted integrated project delivery (IPD) at an early stage. What were the reasons?
The starting point for this decision was a comprehensive situation assessment that highlighted various problems and challenges. A-Nord, like any large construction project, is executed through separate project phases, from approval through planning, procurement, and construction to commissioning. The interests of all parties involved rarely align completely. While, for example, proactive early problem-solving may be desirable for Party A, Party B may focus on change orders to increase profit.
Classic problems also include schedule delays due to lack of coordination among those involved, a general tendency to shy away from responsibility, or disputes among the parties. We want to address all these specific risks and challenges constructively and in a goal-oriented manner, and we expect the introduction of the IPD process to create a new culture of collaboration between client and contractor. Specifically, we hope for better, more intensive, and more creative exchange and better networking among all parties involved in all project phases. So much for the theory. Whether and to what extent these advantages can be realized in practical implementation remains to be seen. From our perspective, however, the opportunities are in any case greater than the risks—at least when the right partners are brought together.
Can you briefly explain the IPD process for our readers?
Very broadly speaking, integrated project delivery is about achieving equal and therefore more efficient and closer collaboration among all parties involved through fair and transparent values. Specifically, this is achieved through open communication and transparent processes and mechanisms. This establishes a partnership-based “no blame, no dispute” culture within which all project partners—client, Design Engineers, and construction contractors—assume responsibility together as a team and, when necessary, find flexible solutions to complications that arise. Integrated project delivery only works with the right partners. Therefore, the selection process is also complex and quite time-consuming. However, the intensive preparation and selection phase ensures that the competencies and interests of the applicants harmonize precisely with those of Amprion and that integrated project delivery can be successfully implemented together.
Source: Sustainability
