About Us
Expertise in Grid Management – Your Partner for Reliable Power Transmission
50Hertz Transmission GmbH is responsible for the operation, maintenance, planning, and expansion of the 380/220 kilovolt transmission grid throughout the German Federal States of Thuringia, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Brandenburg, Berlin, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, and Hamburg. The transmission grid operated by 50Hertz covers an area larger than 109,000 km² and runs a length of approx. 9,750 km. It is the technical backbone that reliably supplies power to more than 18 million people as well to companies contributing approx. 20 percent of German gross domestic product. In 2009, approx. 92 terawatt-hours were transmitted through the area controlled by 50Hertz – enough to provide the city of Berlin with power for six years. 600 employees at 50Hertz work to ensure that this grid remains reliable. As a provider of system services, the transmission grid operator is responsible for maintaining constant line frequency and voltage, balancing power generation with consumption, and ensuring cost-effective power transmission. German law (Energiewirtschaftsgesetz from 07/07/2005), European Parliament Directives and the European “Common Rules for the Internal Market in Electricity” stipulate that each transmission system operator (TSO) is responsible for operating their controlled area of the transmission grid in a reliable, cost-effective, consumer-friendly, efficient, and environmentally friendly manner. In particular, each TSO is responsible for maintaining the proper system balance as their contribution to reliable power provision. To fulfil these obligations, it is necessary to manage injected energy and power-consuming loads.
In addition to these ‘classic’ duties, 50Hertz is also responsible for accepting and transmitting all fed-in energy in compliance with the German Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG). High-volume payment transactions are made relating to the EEG legislation as well as to the law for conservation, modernisation and expansion of combined heat and power (CHP) plants (Kraft-Wärme-Kopplung-Gesetz: KWK-G).
50Hertz in the Heart of Europe
On the European power market, 50Hertz plays a key role due to the central location of their transmission grid. This interconnects the power networks of Denmark, Poland, and the Czech Republic with that of Germany and links Scandinavia with the continental European continent. Furthermore, it links the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E), recently expanded to include the Transmission System Operators of Eastern Europe, with the Nordic Transmission System Operators (NORDEL) of Scandinavia.
As of May 19 2010 50Hertzhas new shareholders. Belgian Transmission System Operator Elia holds a 60 per cent interest in 50Hertz Transmission; the remaining 40 per cent share went to Australian infrastructure fund Industry Funds Management (IFM).
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