220-kV ring in the central area: Around 650 million euros will be invested

The companies announced this on Tuesday. As reported, the mega power project was confirmed by the Federal Administrative Court at the end of June. This main power line for the central Linz area will partially replace the 110 kV line. The planned start of construction for the power line was 2024, and commissioning will take place gradually between 2026 and 2030.

According to APG, Netz Oberösterreich and Linz Netz, construction work on the project is now starting with the first two of a total of four line construction sections and at the two substations in Kronstorf and Pichling. Later, as part of the project, expansion and conversion work will follow at six other substations.

Decarbonization of steel production

The project is a prerequisite for the decarbonization of voestalpine’s steel production and thus the basis for a significant reduction in CO2 emissions and a successful energy transition in Austria, it is said.

For APG, according to Gerhard Christiner, technical director, the project is part of the nine billion euro investment program in Austria until 2034: “We are enabling the increasing electrification of the economy, industry and society in the region.”

Netz-Oberösterreich managing director Manfred Hofer calls the “cooperation of three network operators a model example.” Linz-Netz managing director Johannes Zimmerberger speaks of “meeting the growing demands on the electricity supply and making the energy transition secure.”

The steel and technology group voestalpine plans to purchase green electricity from 2027 in order to replace one blast furnace at each of its sites in Linz and Donawitz with an electric arc furnace that runs on green electricity. This is expected to save around 30 percent of CO2 emissions by 2029 compared to 2019.