Germany and Belgium Consider Second Interconnector for Power Flows

Germany and Belgium plan a second interconnector to increase cross-border electricity flows, according to two people familiar with the matter.

(Bloomberg) — Germany and Belgium plan a second interconnector to increase cross-border electricity flows, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Transmission operators Amprion GmbH and Elia Group SA will sign an agreement to conduct a feasibility study, said the people who asked not to be named because the information isn’t yet public. The companies also commissioned the first interconnector between the countries’ high-voltage grids in 2020.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo are set to meet Tuesday to discuss energy issues. Germany is shutting its last nuclear power plants in mid-April and aims to phase out coal by the end of this decade. It will likely become a net importer of electricity in the coming years.

The interconnector could have a 1-gigawatt capacity and begin operating as early as 2028, according to a project outline previously submitted to the European transmission operators’ association. That’s enough energy to power about one million homes, according to Bloomberg estimates.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com