Germany greenlights record 2,000 km of high-voltage grid extensions in 2025
Clean Energy Wire
Germany’s grid agency (BNetzA) issued permits for the construction of about 2,000 kilometres of high-voltage transmission lines last year, more than in any previous year. The country saw a “record year for grid permits,” said Klaus Müller, head of the network authority. Permits increased by 45 percent in 2025 compared with 1280 kilometres in 2024, the agency said in a press release.
Germany’s electricity grid requires substantial investments to absorb a growing capacity of renewable energy sources and enable the increasing electrification of the economy, driven by the rise of heat pumps, electric vehicles, batteries and other energy transition technologies. However, grid expansion so far has lagged far behind schedule, leading to debates about the effects on electricity costs and the speed of renewable power expansion.
BNetzA concluded approval procedures for several major high-voltage direct current lines that will connect industrial centres in the south of the country to wind power generation in Germany’s northern coastal regions. The north-south powerlines dubbed A-Nord, Ultranet, SuedLink and SuedOstLink are often referred to as “electricity highways”.
“The expansion of the electricity grid is essential for the success of the energy transition,” Müller said. He called the record permits a “visible proof that the acceleration of recent years is achieving concrete results.” The country’s previous government put a major focus on speeding up lagging grid extension, for example by cutting red tape.
Germany currently plans to extend its transmission grid by a total of 16,800 kilometres, of which around 3,500 kilometres had been built by June 2025. “This is necessary to ensure a secure and reliable supply also after the switch to renewable energies,” said the agency. BNetzA is responsible for reviewing around 9,600 kilometres, of which around 4,700 kilometres have now received permits. The country's states handle the remaining 7,200 kilometres in their respective territories.
Germany’s existing transmission grid measures around 39,000 kilometres, while the distribution grid including all voltage levels has a total length of around 1.8 million kilometres, according to public broadcaster ARD.
