Energy in Germany – Legal Issues, Facts and Opinions
New high voltage direct current power lines can help to transmit electricity over long distances with relatively low transmission losses. My new article published in the law journal “Recht der Energiewirtschaft” (RdE – in German) assesses technical and legal aspects of constructing HVDC power lines in Germany.
Continue reading ‘Article on German Legal Regime for High Voltage Direct Current Power Lines’
The Bundestag (Federal Parliament) adopted the “Second Law Concerning Measures to Accelerate the Expansion of the Electricity Grids, which contains the “Federal Requirement Plan for Transmission Networks” as amended by the Economics Committee (ref. nos. 17/12638 and 17/13258).
Continue reading ‘Parliament Adopts Federal Requirement Plan for Electricity Transmission Networks’
On Monday a public hearing on the “Second Law Concerning Measures to Accelerate the Expansion of the Electricity Grids” (ref. no. 17/12638) took place in the Bundestag (Parliament). The bill contains the “Federal Requirement Plan for Transmission Networks”, which establishes the necessity and urgency of 36 power line projects included in the plan with binding effect for transmission operators and planning authorities.
According to the Federal Association of the Energy and Water Industry (BDEW) and media sources, the federal states seem willing to transfer permitting competences pursuant to the Grid Expansion Acceleration Act for Transmission Networks (NABEG) for extra-high voltage lines which cross the borders of the federal states and/or national borders to the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA).
Continue reading ‘BNetzA Permitting for Cross-border Extra-high Voltage Lines?’
The Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) has published quarterly figures of the agency’s monitoring of the process of gird expansion projects of the Energy Line Extension Act (EnLAG). These quarterly figures showed that most of the 24 extra-high voltage power line projects which receive priority treatment under the Energy Line Extension Act (EnLAG) are delayed.
Continue reading ‘Federal Network Agency: Further Delay in Grid Expansion’
The NABEG advisory committee has been established. The committee consists of representatives of the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA), the government and the federal states. It shall advise BNetzA on issues of fundamental importance relating to the “Federal Requirement Plan for Transmission Networks” (Bundesbedarfsplan Übertragungsnetze), federal planning for transmission networks and subsequent plan determination procedures.
Continue reading ‘Advisory Committee Grid Expansion Acceleration Act’
In an interview with Rheinische Post (RP), chancellor Angela Merkel said the government planned to present a bill on the national grid development plan at the beginning of June and wanted the bill to become effective by the end of the year.
Continue reading ‘Chancellor Merkel: Grid Development Plan to Become Law by End of Year’
More laws of the recent Energy Legislative Package have been promulgated in the Federal Law Gazette.
Continue reading ‘More Laws of Energy Legislative Package Promulgated’
Shortly after the German Parliament and the Federal Council adopted an Energy Legislative Package which contains a Grid Expansion Acceleration Act (NABEG), the Federal Network Agency presented three scenarios for future grid expansion for consultation. The scenarios were drafted by the transmission system operators and shall serve as a basis for determining the need for grid expansion.
Continue reading ‘BNetzA Consultation on Grid Expansion Scenarios’
The nuclear phase-out until 2022, which the government proposed in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear accident, and the accelerated transition into an age of renewable energy supply can almost go ahead as planned. The Bundesrat (Federal Council) followed the Bundestag’s (Federal Parliament’s) vote of 1 July 2011 and approved the energy legislative package in its last session before the summer break. However, the Energy-Efficient Renovations of Residential Buildings Act was rejected.
Continue reading ‘Bundesrat Approves Most of Nuclear Power Exit Energy Package’
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Dr. Matthias Lang Rechtsanwalt |
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Prof. Dr. U. Mutschler †
Rechtsanwalt, Honorary Professor of FU Berlin |