Power grid

More than 340,000 kilometres of overhead lines and underground cables, thousands of pylons, over 130,000 switching and substations – taken together, they form RWE's electricity grid, the biggest in the nation. Our technicians and engineers take constant care of a trouble-free interplay of the technical infrastructure and of glitch-free electricity flows between Lower Saxony and the Swiss border. The central location of RWE's distribution grid in Europe turns it into an important hub for the international trade in electricity. 

Constant swap of experience 

The visible overhead lines, held up by masts, are the most important component in the integrated grid. From the power plant, this ultra-high-voltage grid transports the electricity with a voltage of 380,000 V to the main consumer points. There, it is transformed in substations to a voltage of 110,000 V and fed into the high-voltage grids before the electric energy is converted to medium voltage and finally reaches homes and businesses at a low voltage of 230 V, usually via underground cable networks. RWE's engineers are continuously and with far-sightedness investigating new methods and materials in order to further improve equipment and technical processes. The aim: safe, economic and environmentally-friendly operations of the electricity grid.   

Expertise in demand 

This being so, RWE is also involved in several projects of the European Union and inputs its expertise into international specialist associations, like the "International Council on large Electric Systems", the world-leading institution of recognized experts from energy suppliers.

RWE and superconductors

Cables transmitting electrical energy with low losses are a great thing. Superconducting cables are capable to do that. This has prompted RWE Rheinland Westfalen Netz to participate in a research and development project that is exploring in-depth the use of this technology.
The aim of this project is to investigate the technical suitability of superconducting technologies for electric cables or current limiters in distribution systems of large cities and to establish their environmental and economic advantages over conventional solutions.

Field test in Essen

On the basis of a comprehensive study conducted with manufacturers and universities in 2010, a pilot project is to show in practice that HTS cable systems are also suitable for use on a large scale. The aim of this project is the development and field testing of a superconducting 10-kV cable in the city centre of Essen, the intention being to replace conventional 110-kV lines and cables and a 110/10-kV substation in the town centre. In the long term the expansion of the HTS technology to the entire 110-kV city ring is conceivable provided that the results of the field test are positive.