Nauders substation

There are currently two interconnectors linking Austria and Italy. One of those is APG’s existing interconnector between Austria (Lienz) and Italy (Soverzene), which dates back to 1952 and is no longer able to handle current requirements for a secure, efficient and sustainable European transmission grid due to its low capacity. In addition, a 132-kV merchant line was built in 2013 between Austria (Greuth bei Arnoldstein) and Italy (Tarvisio).

In particular, the increase in hydropower generation in Austria’s western Alpine region (primarily via pumped storage power plants), the additional expansion of renewable energy sources (particularly wind power) that is targeted in northern Europe and developments in Italy are leading to an increasing exchange of energy between countries in the Alpine region. It should be noted in this context that even though Italy is one of five countries having the largest installed power plant capacity in Europe, it should be considered a peninsula both geographically and in terms of electricity.

The new connection from the Nauders area to the Glorenza (Glurns) substation in the municipality of Schluderns im Vinschgau (South Tyrol) represents an additional option for establishing an interconnector with adequate capacity between the transmission grids of TERNA and APG. Given that load flows are presently already very high at the border to northern Italy, the project will contribute to improving energy security and to making grid operation more robust.

In addition, the European Council has defined an “interconnection target” as part of the EU’s energy and climate targets. The target figure of 15% of generation capacity must be reached by 2030. The Reschen Pass project will also contribute to meeting the EU targets.