Westnetz Plans Work on 21,000 km of Power Lines by 2030
Essen – November 02, 2026 -- Westnetz, the grid operator of Westenergie, plans to renew, expand or newly build more than 21,000 kilometers of power lines by 2030 under its Grid Expansion Plan 2026. The plan also covers measures at about 250 substations and more than 30,000 local grid stations.
Data center load in Westnetz's area is forecast to rise nearly ninefold
Forecast power demand from data centers in the Westnetz service area climbs from 217 MW in 2024 to 1,912 MW in 2030. Demand from electric mobility grows from 1,783 MW to 14,963 MW over the same period, more than eight times the 2024 level. Photovoltaic capacity is expected to roughly double, from about 10,800 MW to almost 22,000 MW.
The grid area spans North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and parts of Lower Saxony and Hesse.