Water protection

GRI 306-5, SDG14

50Hertz is committed to effective water protection. As the business activities of 50Hertz do not result in significant water usage, its responsibility in this regard is not so much to reduce water consumption, but to consider water resources in the ground during grid and substation projects and to avoid water and soil pollution with hazardous materials. For instance, 50Hertz has installed special safety features in oil-containing systems. To protect the natural environment, elaborate constructions are installed beneath transformers in substations to prevent drips from entering the soil. The safety systems are inspected regularly by maintenance technicians and refurbished or replaced when needed. Waste water is only discharged with appropriate permission from water authorities and if it was regularly tested for hazardous substances. With regard to water protection,the WHG [“Wasserhaushaltsgesetz”: Water Resources Act] and state-specific systems regulations (VAwS) are of particular importance to 50Hertz. Employees are trained in the environmentally friendly operation of our systems and water protection officers are kept continuously updated on all new developments. In the grid area, the requirements of the WHG and VAwSare especially relevant for the coastal regions of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Three submarine cable routes of the Ostwind 1 line construction project, which is currently underway, run south from the Westlich Adlergrund cluster, past the island of Rügen, through Greifswalder Bodden to their landing site near Lubmin. In the landing zone, we have to bore under sensitive natural conservation areas and valuable biospheres. By using the low-impact, ditchless horizontal flush drilling method, 50Hertz significantly reduces interference with flora and fauna in the dune landscape. In addition, 50Hertz is an important contributor to making the Baltic Sea safe for people and the environment. Therefore, every preparation includes the clearing of historical waste at the bottom of the Baltic Sea, such as weapons from previous world wars.