According to §15a of the Energy Industry Act the German transmission system operators (TSOs) have been annually publishing in close coordination with the Federal Network Agency (FNA) a network development plan since April 2012. Starting 2016 the network development plan will be published every two years.

The network development plan includes all effective measures for demand-orientated optimization, reinforcement and demand-orientated extension of the gas grid as well as the guarantee of the security of supply. These are all technically necessary for a secure and reliable network operation during the next ten years. In particular, the network development plan identifies an implementation plan for those network expansion projects, which must be carried out in the next three years. 

Besides this, GRTgaz Deutschland is actively involved in the European 10-Year-Network-Development-Plan (TYNDP) group of ENTSO-G.

More information about the national NEP Gas  

More information about the European Network Development Plan Gas

From the incremental capacity cycle 2023 - 2025 onwards, the German transmission system operators will charge a fee of €30,000 per market area border, type of request (incremental capacity or upgrade of existing capacity) and direction (entry or exit capacity) for their activities resulting from the submission of non-binding demand indications in accordance with Article 26 (11) of Regulation (EU) 2017/459 (NC CAM). Please note that the fee will also be charged if the transmission of the non-binding demand indication is not submitted to the applicants by the requesting party directly but by a third party (such as an adjacent, foreign TSO) (cf. point 37 BK9-22/042).

The approval by the Federal Network Agency and detailed information can be found in Decision BK9-22/042 or here. 

In accordance with Chapter V of the EU Regulation 2017/459 (NC CAM), a procedure for new capacities to be created at the interconnection points within the scope of the NC CAM begins with the end of the annual auction in every odd year. During an eight-week period, network users can submit non-binding requests for new capacity to be created to FNB Gas e.V. at www.fnb-gas-capacity.de. Requests for new capacity to be created at VIP France-Germany shall therefore not be addressed to GRTgaz Deutschland, but to FNB-Gas. All requests for new capacity to be created are collected centrally by FNB Gas and forwarded to the FNBs concerned. 

This is followed by an evaluation of the requests in a market demand analysis. The findings are published in the demand report. If there is a need for new capacity to be created, the FNBs prepare a draft project proposal, which is consulted and later confirmed by the regulatory authority BNetzA. The new capacity to be created will be offered in the next possible annual auction and can be booked bindingly for the future. Only if the corresponding economic efficiency test for the project is positive due to the booking situation, are the capacities bindingly allocated to the person making the booking and taken into account in the network planning of the FNBs.

More information on the process or on (in progress) procedures  

As of 13 October 2022 it is now possible to transport gas from France to Germany.

In light of an unprecedented energy security situation in Europe and in relation to the war in Ukraine, European solidarity is of critical importance. France has recently demonstrated its solidarity with Germany and its commitment to energy security in Europe by making it possible to reverse the gas flows at Obergailbach to facilitate transport from France to Germany.

Previously, at this network interconnection point it was only possible to move gas through the pipe from Germany to France. However, due to the recent consultations of CRE, GRTgaz was approved to make technical adapations to the pipe so that gas could flow in the opposite direction. The adaptations enable not only transport from France to Germany, but also in the direction of Germany to France.

In Germany, GRTgaz Deutschland secures energy availability through accepting gas capacity at Medelsheim from the French market area PEG. The daily capacity is marketed as a bundled product with a maximum capacity of up to 4 GWh/h.

Extension of the pressure, measuring  and control system for higher feed-in capacities of gas volumes from MEGAL in the direction of Sannerz, and construction of a new compressor station to increase the transport capacities from MEGAL in the north direction for the L-H gas conversion areas. 

Three new turbines and natural  gas compressors packages will be installed, with best-in-class environmental performances. 

The budget for the total investment is € 196 million. The commissioning of the new GDRM facilities is scheduled for 2020.  

The new compressor station is expected to be ready for transport by 2023.