German Regulator Prepared to Take National Responsibility for Power Grid

German power network regulator, the Bundesnetzagentur, has offered to assume national responsibility for the grid encompassing 16 state borders in Europe’s biggest national power market, Reuters informed.

After Chancellor Angela Merkel’s proposition to rapidly replace nuclear power with renewable sources, the government has not set out a valid plan to deal with the shift to renewable power.

As the Reuters reports, regulator chief Jochen Homann said that the whole plan could fail unless Germany’s federal states pool responsibility for the construction of a national grid.

“We believe there must be a single system for power lines of national significance,” said Mr Homann.

“We and the government are prepared to take this responsibility.”

Recently, the government, the regulator and transmission grid firms outlined a EUR 20 billion plan, which aims at upgrading the grid in the next ten years.

Offshore wind parks, which are leading Germany’s green revolution, are facing problems as firms need an expanded network to get power to the land.

Insufficient financial strength of the grid operators is one of the main obstacles for offshore wind, Mr Homann pointed out, adding that he knew of some potential investors from abroad who had that strength and were willing to invest.

[mappress]

Offshore WIND staff, June 6, 2012; Image:  Bundesnetzagentur