TransnetBW Suedlink Lot 10

Michels Trenchless GmbH is installing 4 parallel electrical cable conduits at 10 locations via horizontal directional (HDD) drilling. This project, part of the German Offshore Wind Initiative (GOI), funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK), is aimed to support German companies in the offshore wind energy sector. The goal if this work is to supply 80% of Germany’s electric needs from renewable resources by the year 2050. Energy produced from wind power in the North Sea can be transmitted from north to southern Germany. Two underground cables are intended to transport four gigawatts across the country via high-voltage direct-current transmission.

The 40 HDDs will be performed at 10 sites across a 30.8 kilometer spread labeled Lot 10. In total, 24,164 meters of drilling will take place with passes ranging from 318 to 1,261 meters long. The individual drills will be reamed out to 400 or 600 millimeters to prepare for the conduit pipes of the respective sizing of 250 or 315 millimeters.

As of now, two drills have been completed, the first being 435 meters long reamed out to 18-inches with a 250-millimeter high-density polyurethane (HDPE) pipe pulled in which will house fiber optic cable. The second drill was 470 meters long reamed out to 34-inches with a 315-millimeter HDPE pipe pulled in and will be used for power cable. 2 drill rigs are running concurrently so additional drills will be completed every few weeks.