German power grids must be expanded significantly to optimize the distribution of energy generated. Until the new projects are realized, there is a short-term need to temporarily increase transmission capacities on existing electric grids.

Both, the expansion of major power grids and the temporary increase of existing grid capacity have consequences for other sectors, such as increased induction of voltages on parallel-laid steel pipelines. These induced voltages can exceed permissible limits and pose risks to personnel and acceleration of corrosion of the steel lines.

The permissible limits of induced voltages and the necessary coordination and protective measures are regulated in the guidelines of energy industry associations.

At the end of 2022, a new short-term nature of the announcement and activation of temporary higher loads has been introduced. Transmission system operators can now announce such measures only 6 weeks ahead. Therefore, an appropriate digital “communication structure” is necessary, which is addressed by the newly formulated §§ 49a and 49b of the Energy Industry Act (EnWG). Both regulate the need for action by all operators involved.

The online portal BIL, with its functionality created specifically for this application, makes a significant contribution to accelerating this coordination, to fulfilling the reporting and to bringing the respective parties together. Using this tool, transmission system operators can define power corridors and receive information via the BIL portal about potentially affected pipelines. Subsequently, the affected pipeline operators can be contacted digitally through the portal, and relevant data can be exchanged.

From the perspective of a pipeline operator, this information interface provides the opportunity to quickly narrow down affected sections of pipelines and analyse the local effects precisely. This can lead to the necessary protective measures for both people and technology.

Keywords: energy transition; capacity increase; network optimization; occupational safety, corrosion protection; online-portal; span field analyses