Innovative Public Participation for SuedLink

Innovative and transparent public participation in Germany’s central electricity grid project, SuedLink. The process, which was co-developed with local governments and other stakeholders, included various engagement formats, such as an online platform and info as well as landowner forums. 

Highlights:

• Online participation 
• Joint planning with local governments – co-developed concept for involving local communities and the public 
• Special cooperation with the County Alliance „Hamelner Erklärung” 
• Engaging 435 municipalities 
• Information forums in all regions effected by the project 
• In the further course of the approval process, more specific formats (e.g. on logistics) for stakeholders such as landowners or local municipalities 
• Digital formats during the Corona pandemic 

Main information:

Long before the start of the official permitting procedure, TransnetBW and TenneT presented possible underground cable corridors in the regions that could possibly be impacted by the project. With the help of a new communications and engagement approach based on openness, transparency and active participation, local knowledge was included into the planning. The public could view all recorded data and post comments via a web-based Geographic Information System (WebGIS) – it was the first time such a special online tool was created and used in a grid project in Germany. The comments received via the tool resulted in 3811 variations for SuedLink.