GE Vernova has secured contracts to design, supply and install two 110 kV gas-insulated substations in Berlin as the German capital continues to modernise its electricity network while reducing the environmental impact of high-voltage infrastructure.
The contracts, awarded by Stromnetz Berlin GmbH and booked in April 2026, cover new substations at Wittenau and Neukölln. Construction is scheduled to begin this month, with the Wittenau project due for completion in March 2031 and Neukölln following in January 2032.
The substations will form part of Berlin’s high-voltage transmission network, supplying electricity to local substations that distribute power to homes, commercial premises and public services. They are intended to support rising electricity demand as the city continues to electrify transport, heating and other sectors.
Both facilities will use GE Vernova’s SF6-free g3 gas-insulated switchgear technology instead of sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), the insulating gas traditionally used in high-voltage equipment. Although highly effective as an electrical insulator, SF6 has an exceptionally high global warming potential if released into the atmosphere, prompting utilities across Europe to seek lower-emission alternatives.
According to GE Vernova, the g3 insulating mixture reduces the global warming potential of the insulating medium by around 99% compared with conventional SF6 while maintaining the compact design required for urban substations, where land availability is often constrained.
Berlin operates one of Europe’s largest networks of gas-insulated switchgear, making replacement and expansion projects significant for both grid reliability and emissions reduction. Stromnetz Berlin said the investment supports the city’s security of supply while contributing to its climate objectives.
The contracts also reflect a broader shift across European electricity networks as utilities replace ageing infrastructure with equipment designed to meet stricter environmental requirements. Demand for compact gas-insulated substations remains high in densely populated cities, where expanding conventional air-insulated facilities is often impractical because of space limitations.
GE Vernova said the projects form part of its wider portfolio of transmission technologies aimed at supporting lower-carbon electricity networks. Germany remains a key market for the company, which has supplied equipment to the country’s power sector for more than a century.
