A holistic solution uniting data, processes, GIS and 3D models
SuedOstLink
In the quest for a stable energy supply and the pursuit of decarbonization targets, the energy sector faces an exponential growth of construction and maintenance projects along with an increasing diversity of project types and stakeholders.
The SuedOstLink (SOL) Project will transport renewable energy from the Northern parts of the Germany to the South, using long-distance, underground, power transmission lines – 2,000 megawatt at a voltage of 525 kilovolt over 540KM.
A pioneering, multidisciplinary construction project
The SOL project features the world’s first large, commercial 525 kV XLPE high-voltage DC 2 x 2 GW transmission lines, and requires a multidisciplinary approach, due to its scale and strategic importance. To bring together all the different specializations needed, TenneT created the Project Management Office (PMO) organisation for SuedOstLink, as an interface that connects all stakeholders.
- OwnerTenneTAssetUnderground Cable HVDCLengthapprox. 538 kmSpecificationDirect current (2 GW) | 525 kVLifecycleBuildCommissioning2027
Making the project a success: the IT perspective
The IT department considered how to best support this construction project and its complex processes digitally, to make it more efficient, ensure compliance with government regulations, gain community acceptance and also stay within the budget and timeline.
TenneT then set out to develop a ‘Construction Portal’ with the ultimate goal of uniting all data and information from the various processes, vendors, and stages of construction into a meaningful single data model. One part of that task was to map all processes required for the SuedOstLink project.
With that completed, TenneT set out to look for a suitable digitalisation partner, that could embark with them on this journey towards building a single data model for the project. Covering the entire supply chain of construction and helping to standardise and automate.
Blending document-centric & data-centric way of working
Thinkproject could support many SuedOstLink processes (scheduling, permit to build, plot management, contractor and job management, site diary, document management, reporting) from a digital perspective, and actively provide the know-how to make that all happen – technical and functional concepts, change management, user adoption, project management, customer success package. The result was delivering TenneT a holistic solution that united data, processes, GIS and 3D models, which also fit into their heterogeneous IT environment.
Thinkproject x TenneT
The Thinkproject solution has demonstrated its widespread adoption and effectiveness. Among benefits reported by TenneT, are the modularity of this solution, which can now be deployed quickly to other TenneT projects, also due to the cloud-based feature of it.
The Thinkproject solution has demonstrated its widespread adoption and effectiveness. Among benefits reported by TenneT, are the modularity of this solution, which can now be deployed quickly to other TenneT projects, also due to the cloud-based feature of it.
Perhaps the most important achievement brought on by this solution, is the shift from document-centric to a hybrid environment, with a document and data-centric way of working, which was the also the ultimate goal of TenneT. The standardization efforts have resulted in substantial time savings and scalability, while comprehensive reporting capabilities that span across the entire asset portfolio, ensuring oversight and management.
Thinkproject and TenneT are continuing to collaborate closely to deliver solutions across the SOL’s project lifecycle, matching Tennet’s needs in a dynamic way, ultimately contributing to TenneT’s goal of having a single data model for the SuedOstLink project.