North-South Powerline
Encyclopedia
The North–South Powerline, or Nord–Süd-Leitung, is the world's oldest interconnection for electric current
. It was built between 1924 and 1929 by RWE AG
, to transport electricity produced in the hydro-electric power plants in Vorarlberg
, Austria
and the southern Black Forest
to the Ruhr district
.
The line begins in Bludenz
and in Herbertingen
connects with a second line, which comes from Tiengen. It continues to the transformer stations at Ludwigsburg-Hoheneck
, Mannheim-Rheinau
, Kelsterbach
, Koblenz
, and Bad Neuenahr
to Brauweiler
.
The entire line was originally installed on pylons with a three-tiered arrangement. With the exception of the Kelsterbach–Koblenz and Heilbronn
–Neckarwestheim
sections of the line, the North–South Powerline is still carried by the original masts. For the section which travels through Bad Neuenahr, Koblenz, Kelsterbach, Mannheim/Rheinau and Ludwigsburg/Hoheneck, C1-pylons are used; in other sections, C2 and C3 pylons are used, depending upon the need for the lines to withstand loads of ice during the winter.
In 1964, an electric circuit of the section traveling through Ludwigsburg/Hoheneck, Herbertingen and Tiengen switched over to 380 kV. In the section between the transformer stations Ludwigsburg–Hoheneck and Mannheim/Rheinau, an electric circuit was deemed to be dispensable in the year 2003. The two lowest conductors on this section of the line were dismantled between 10 November and 16 December 2003, to make better use of the land beneath the line route. The dispensable fourth conductor on the masts was left as an anchor.
Electric current
Electric current is a flow of electric charge through a medium.This charge is typically carried by moving electrons in a conductor such as wire...
. It was built between 1924 and 1929 by RWE AG
RWE
RWE AG , is a German electric power and natural gas public utility company based in Essen. Through its various subsidiaries, the energy company contributes electricity and gas to more than 20 million electricity customers and 10 million gas customers, principally in Europe...
, to transport electricity produced in the hydro-electric power plants in Vorarlberg
Vorarlberg
Vorarlberg is the westernmost federal-state of Austria. Although it is the second smallest in terms of area and population , it borders three countries: Germany , Switzerland and Liechtenstein...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and the southern Black Forest
Black Forest
The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
to the Ruhr district
Ruhr Area
The Ruhr, by German-speaking geographers and historians more accurately called Ruhr district or Ruhr region , is an urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With 4435 km² and a population of some 5.2 million , it is the largest urban agglomeration in Germany...
.
The line begins in Bludenz
Bludenz
Bludenz is a town in the state of Vorarlberg in Austria. The town, surrounded by mountains, lies at the meeting point of five different valleys: The Klostertal, The Montafon, The Walgau, The Brandnertal, The Groß Walsertal....
and in Herbertingen
Herbertingen
Herbertingen is a municipality in the district of Sigmaringen in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.-Municipality:Herbertingen forms the municipality with Hundersingen, Marbach and Mieterkingen.-Archeological location:...
connects with a second line, which comes from Tiengen. It continues to the transformer stations at Ludwigsburg-Hoheneck
Ludwigsburg
Ludwigsburg is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about north of Stuttgart city centre, near the river Neckar. It is the largest and primary city of the Ludwigsburg urban district with about 87,000 inhabitants...
, Mannheim-Rheinau
Mannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
, Kelsterbach
Kelsterbach
Kelsterbach is a town in Groß-Gerau district in Hessen, Germany. It lies on Frankfurt's southwestern outskirts at a bend on the left bank of the river Main, right where a small brook, called the Kelster empties into the river...
, Koblenz
Koblenz
Koblenz is a German city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the Moselle, where the Deutsches Eck and its monument are situated.As Koblenz was one of the military posts established by Drusus about 8 BC, the...
, and Bad Neuenahr
Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler
Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler is a town in the German Bundesland of Rhineland-Palatinate. It is the capital of the Ahrweiler district. It is a renowned spa and it has a casino. The A61 motorway connects the town with cities like Cologne and Mainz. The city consists of two parts, Bad Neuenahr in the east...
to Brauweiler
Brauweiler
Brauweiler is a part of Pulheim, west of Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany.The former Benedictine abbey, Brauweiler Abbey, founded 1024, is used today by the Rhein Department for the Care of Historic Monuments....
.
The entire line was originally installed on pylons with a three-tiered arrangement. With the exception of the Kelsterbach–Koblenz and Heilbronn
Heilbronn
Heilbronn is a city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is completely surrounded by Heilbronn County and with approximately 123.000 residents, it is the sixth-largest city in the state....
–Neckarwestheim
Neckarwestheim
Neckarwestheim is a municipality with 3524 inhabitants in the Heilbronn district, Baden-Württemberg, in south-west Germany. It is located on the Neckar river and is well known as the location of a nuclear power station.-Geographical position:...
sections of the line, the North–South Powerline is still carried by the original masts. For the section which travels through Bad Neuenahr, Koblenz, Kelsterbach, Mannheim/Rheinau and Ludwigsburg/Hoheneck, C1-pylons are used; in other sections, C2 and C3 pylons are used, depending upon the need for the lines to withstand loads of ice during the winter.
In 1964, an electric circuit of the section traveling through Ludwigsburg/Hoheneck, Herbertingen and Tiengen switched over to 380 kV. In the section between the transformer stations Ludwigsburg–Hoheneck and Mannheim/Rheinau, an electric circuit was deemed to be dispensable in the year 2003. The two lowest conductors on this section of the line were dismantled between 10 November and 16 December 2003, to make better use of the land beneath the line route. The dispensable fourth conductor on the masts was left as an anchor.
External links
- http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?b57808
- http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?b57805
- http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?b57806
- http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?b57807