EKZ supplies the Limmat Valley with a further 80 megawatts
The electricity works of the canton of Zurich are expanding the power supply in the Limmat Valley. The new substation in Oberengstringen will gradually be put into operation by next February.
With the facility in Oberengstringen, the electricity works of the canton of Zurich (EKZ) put their third substation in Limmat Valley into operation. The Limmattal is now supplied by the three substations Schlieren, Dietikon and Oberengstringen. The new substation with an output of 80 megawatts will gradually be put into operation by next February.
"This means that we are very well prepared for the steadily growing energy demand in the region", Hans-Peter Häberli, Head of Construction and Systems at EKZ, is quoted in an interview . The economic upswing in the Limmattal with the settlement of new companies, a large data center and the Limmattalbahn is causing the demand for electricity to rise sharply. Häberli: “We have generally seen strong increases in load in the Limmat Valley over the past few years. In the future, the energy demand will be driven by the Limmattalbahn and the establishment of a data center in the region. The Schlieren substation, which previously supplied the region with energy, must therefore be relieved. Its capacity would soon no longer be sufficient. "
The electrical energy is converted in the new substation. In the case of Oberengstringen, EKZ takes over the electricity with a voltage of 110 kilovolts from the Axpo high-voltage network. The energy is converted to 16 kilovolts with two 40-megawatt transformers, according to the EKZ website. After that, the electricity would be further stepped down until it is fed into the grid for end users such as housing estates.
The connection of the new plant is to take place gradually by February. According to Häberli, Oberengstringen will then be fully connected to the Axpo high-voltage network. The communities of Ober- and Unterengstringen, Weiningen and parts of Schlieren are then supplied.