New Achau substation boosts power supply and renewable capacity

Wiener Netze has commissioned a 50 million euro substation in Achau, in the Mödling district, to strengthen electricity supply south of Vienna and make room for more renewable energy, ORF reported.

The facility is connected to the existing Süd-Ost and Moosbrunn grid nodes and is intended to serve as a central electricity hub for the region. It includes 110-kilovolt switchgear, medium-voltage equipment and three transformers, and is designed to allow future expansion.

Infrastructure around the substation has also been upgraded, including 12 kilometres of high-voltage lines to handle higher loads. A photovoltaic system and greenery on the roof and facade are intended to make operations more environmentally friendly.

Wiener Netze said the investment will help meet rising electricity demand and make it easier to feed renewable power into the grid. The company’s chief executive, Gerhard Fida, said the project would add renewable energy capacity and help maintain a 99.99 percent reliability rate for electricity supply in the region.

Wiener Netze operates about 21,100 kilometres of power lines, 48 substations and around 11,000 transformer stations. Substations convert electricity from high voltage to medium voltage for distribution to homes, businesses and public institutions.

The company plans to commission 13 more substations by 2040 and build an additional 4,000 kilometres of cables and overhead lines. It says it invests more than 490 million euros each year in maintaining and expanding its network.