The Next Section of the SEL Line Between Heidelberg and Heilbronn

Preparations for the construction of the third SEL section, from Heidelberg-Grenzhof to Heilbronn, have been underway since spring 2025. Following preparatory measures, terranets bw will begin construction at the beginning of August. The section is scheduled to be connected to the existing grid in Heidelberg and Heilbronn and transport gas by the end of 2026.

Construction will begin in January 2026, expected to be completed in June 2026, from Heilbronn via Bad Rappenau to Siegelsbach, and from Heidelberg-Grenzhof via Eppelheim to Leimen. The first, 24-kilometer section of the SEL in the districts of Heilbronn and Ludwigsburg has been transporting gas since the end of 2024. Since spring 2025, terranets bw has been constructing the second section of the SEL between Löchgau (Ludwigsburg district) and Esslingen a. N. with a length of 43 kilometers.

How it's being built

The SEL will be laid largely using the so-called open cut method. The soil will first be removed on a roughly 34-meter-wide work strip, then the pipes will be welded and laid in a trench approximately 2.5 meters deep. Afterward, everything will be backfilled and the area recultivated. Fiber optic cables will also be installed – they will serve to control the network and simultaneously support the expansion of high-speed internet in the region.