Residents take storm

Mega power line causes a huge wave of protest

The Obersielach substation near Völkermarkt.(Bild: APD)

The old 110 kV line in the Jauntal valley is to be replaced at a cost of around 50 million euros. However, the project is meeting with massive resistance in the villages in the valley. The majority of residents are fighting for a new underground cable.

The existing 110 kV line, which is around 70 years old and connects the Obersielach and Schwabeck substations, no longer meets the requirements of the times. Austrian Power Grid (APG) therefore wants to replace the cable over a length of 20 kilometers. 50 million euros are to be invested. "The renewal of the Jauntal line is intended to contribute to the success of the secure energy transition," says company spokesperson Christoph Schuh. Residents in the surrounding area have been informed of the project. And resistance is already forming. Mayor Rudolf Skorjanz: "The pipeline network runs through several villages, we have to wait for the authorities' opinion." The project is to be submitted in the summer.

The procedures with the state are still pending. We have shared the concerns of the residents of Kleindiex with APG.

Rudolf Skorjanz, Bürgermeister

Underground cable is required
"For us, this is not a replacement, but a new construction, and we have told the project managers that," says Adolf Zuder from Kleindiex, who points out that the village has grown over the years. The residents, who have launched a petition, are calling for the power line to be laid underground. Zuder: "According to the Electricity Act, these technical options must be examined." The decision lies with the state.