New power line from Oberbachern to Ottenhofen: Two routes, many arguments

Created: 08/18/2022, 11:00 am

By: Veronica power

The high-voltage line runs close to the development here at the Steiler riding facility (municipality of Ottenhofen).

A replacement building near this existing street is one of two possible variants.

© vroni power

In the Finsing/Neuching/Ottenhofen area, there are two options for replacing the high-voltage line from Oberbachern to Ottenhofen.

Network operator Tennet promises to examine both equally.

Ottenhofen

– The replacement construction of the high-voltage line from Oberbachern (Dachau district) to Ottenhofen is electrifying the residents.

A citizens' initiative is fighting against the variant near the existing road and for the one through Finsinger Holz.

Even if the focus is currently on the former: transmission system operator Tennet promises to examine both on an equal footing.

(By the way: everything from the region is now also available in our regular Erding newsletter.)

Tennet is planning two variants of the overhead line in the Finsing/Neuching/Ottenhofen triangle: one along the state road 2580 (4a) and thus very close to the existing building, and one through Finsinger Holz (4b).

Both were assessed as spatially compatible, now one is to go into the planning approval process.

Recently, a video conference with representatives of the BI "High-voltage line yes, but at a distance to Ottenhofen and Neuching/Lausbach" and Tennet took place, mediated by Green MdL Johannes Becher.

Also present were the spokesmen for the Ottenhofen local branch of the Greens, Andrea Börner and Stefan Herbasch.

The latter is also co-spokesman for the Greens in the district and a member of the Ottenhofen municipal council.

Citizens' initiative favors route through Finsinger Holz

A year ago, he unanimously voted in favor of the Finsinger Holz route.

This variant, which is also favored by the BI, "creates great advantages for people and nature," writes Herbasch in a press release and reports that Tennet has promised an equal examination of the variants.

A spokeswoman confirmed this when asked: Both variants would be further examined.

The spokeswoman emphasizes that they have been in good contact with BI for a long time.

The initiative definitely has an impact on the planning: “In particular, the proactive offer of areas for pylon locations and compensatory measures opens up leeway here.

That is extraordinary and underlines the constructive cooperation of BI.”

Herbasch is more specific about this.

In the event that the choice falls on the variant through the wood, the BI have "searched, found and already contractually secured" a possible compensation area in the form of an enlargement of the protective forest (around 21,000 additional trees).

In addition, the creation of a biotope was offered.

Variant 4b, which "is intended to span the Finsinger Holz to be reforested after a beetle infestation, is clearly the ecologically more valuable variant," notes Herbasch.

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It also has the advantage of not affecting residents and businesses.

The mightier masts would endanger the existence of the adjacent riding stables in variant 4a: Herbasch: "Here, lawsuits could also jeopardize the punctual completion of the power line."

Tennet: Detailed routing is initially being worked out for the variant along the existing road

The BI complains that Tennet's detailed planning has so far only been limited to Route 4a.

The spokeswoman explains that Tennet is legally obliged to submit an approvable plan to build and commission the new line on time.

In order to be able to keep to the schedule, the detailed routing (specific pole locations including access roads, construction site facilities and provisional arrangements) is first being worked out for the variant along the existing road.

Numerous legal and technical questions are still unanswered for Finsinger Holz, "which could possibly make approval impossible".

In favor of the route along the St 2580 is the bundling requirement, which carries great weight in the approval process: New infrastructure should be bundled with existing ones as far as possible - in this case the existing line and the state road - so that previously unpolluted landscapes are not reclaimed.

However, three aspects still need to be examined in detail.

Thus, with the Finsinger Holz as well as the Schlossholz, valuable and protected protective and functional forests further south are affected.

"It has not yet been finally clarified whether an overvoltage is technically possible here" - just as little as whether an intervention could be approved at all.

Many technical and legal questions are still open

The question is also open as to whether the construction of this variant would be technically impossible because it could only be realized with a longer temporary shutdown of the existing line.

This must remain in continuous operation to supply the region and greater Munich area until the new line is ready.

Last but not least, the feasibility of the temporary arrangements is an important prerequisite.

Although these temporary lines would only be needed during the construction period, they would take up a wide corridor for the Finsinger Holz variant.

Check here to see if one is available.

For the St 2580 variant, fewer provisional arrangements are needed and it is known that this is possible.

But further planning is also necessary for this route, "and it also has disadvantages, especially with regard to the protection of the living environment on the existing road," said the spokeswoman.

In contrast to Finsinger Holz, however, there are currently no unanswered legal or technical questions that would make approval and construction fundamentally impossible.

"Therefore, the focus of the concrete routing is currently on this variant."

The "Finsinger Holz" variant can still be submitted as a preferred variant

In the further course of planning, it may turn out that the technical hurdles for Finsinger Holz can be solved and that the environmental aspects are not a fundamental obstacle to submission in the approval process.

"Then a reassessment can take place and the variant can be submitted again as a preferred variant - this is also possible after the start of the planning approval process."

The results of the in-depth investigations and discussions with the agencies involved, such as the AELF, the nature conservation authority or the forest district, are expected to be available in November.

Until then, no binding statements can be made as to whether the Finsinger Holz variant is feasible.

We continue to rely “on open and transparent exchange with the people in the region, keep them informed about all developments and work with them to find the best solution for everyone involved,” promises Tennet.