SPIE equips 380-kilovolt substation for replacement of the Jura line in Bavaria, Germany

Düsseldorf, 3 July 2025 - SPIE, the independent European leader in multi-technical services in the areas of energy and communications, is responsible for the technical expansion and reinforcement of the substation in Sittling, Bavaria, on behalf of transmission system operator TenneT. The project is part of the renewal of the existing Jura line (Juraleitung), which will involve replacing the current 220-kV line connecting Middle Franconia and Lower Bavaria. The aim is to raise the voltage from 220 to 380 kilovolts to strengthen the grid for the transmission of renewable energy sources and support the energy transition

SPIE is delivering the primary technology for the expansion, which is being constructed on a site adjacent to the existing substation. The scope of services includes 3D-based planning as well as the supply and installation of steel structures, control cables and high-voltage equipment. Around 900 tonnes of steel will be used for the steel frameworks. Approximately 150 tonnes of copper will be installed for the earthing mesh and for control and signalling cables. In addition, up to 200 tonnes of aluminium will be used for the electrical connections between the high-voltage components.

Planning work began in March 2025, with installation scheduled to start in September. To ensure the supply of power remains secure, commissioning will be conducted in five phases by the end of 2030, while the grid remains operational. "This makes it that much more important to have such a well-established team, including planning, project and site management, installation and HSE professionals. And it enables efficient capacity and logistics planning," says Christoph Pichlmeier, Head of Sales Substations South-East Region at SPIE Germany Switzerland Austria.

SPIE once again delivers on occupational safety

With the expansion of the Sittling substation, SPIE is now equipping the second of five substations along the Jura line, once again underscoring its commitment to ensuring high occupational safety standards. These include an HSE safety plan, the Step 4 Safety Culture Ladder certificate and a range of technical concepts and protective measures. SPIE is also responsible for equipping the new substation in Raitersaich, which is due to go into operation in 2026.

The Jura line is an approximately 170-kilometre-long power transmission line that has been in place since the 1940s. It runs from Raitersaich in the Fürth district, initially heading south through the Nuremberg metropolitan area. From the Ludersheim substation, it continues south-east, crossing the districts of Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz, Eichstätt, Kelheim and Landshut. It ends at the Altheim substation near Landshut. The line ensures a secure power supply, including electricity from renewable sources, from Middle Franconia to Lower Bavaria.

"Our multi-technical services are helping to prepare the transmission grid for the energy and climate transition," emphasises Burkhard Sager, General Manager of the High Voltage Operational Division at SPIE Germany Switzerland Austria. "The Sittling project is the largest SPIE has implemented for TenneT in Bavaria to date - and yet another milestone in a partnership that spans over 30 years."