High-voltage current under the mudflats: Trenchless technology protects the World Heritage Site
Almost half of the northern German island of Sylt is under nature conservation. Replacing the above-ground and therefore vulnerable, old overhead lines with underground cables without risking major impacts on the sensitive local ecosystem was therefore a challenging task. In order to protect this, all installations were carried out trenchlessly using the GRUNDORILL 18N steerable bore rig. With the result that the power supply on Sylt now runs exclusively underground via underground cables.
The underground installation of the protective pipes for a total of 2,100 m of new power lines was carried out in several sections under the supervision of a nature conservation company. The most delicate part was the charging borehole for the connection of the 100,000 V submarine cable in the sea through the tidal flats. Thanks to the gentle, trenchless drilling method with the GRUNDODRILL 18N, all this was possible without any impact on the protected natural environment and holiday operations.
Key facts
- Sylt / Germany 2020
- Project: New installation of empty conduits for a total of 2,100 m 110,000 volt power line through protected nature and connection of the submarine cable in the tidal flats
- Application: Underground cable/electricity
- Method: Controlled HDD method
- Machine used: GRUNDORILL 18N
