Cleaning Up: Leadership in an Age of Climate Change The €65 Billion Plan to Modernise Germany’s Grids | Ep233: Tim Meyerjürgens
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Nov 12, 2025 Tim Meyerjürgens, CEO of TenneT Germany, leads one of Europe's key transmission operators steering the continent's energy transition. He discusses the ambitious €65 billion plan to modernize Germany’s electricity grid, balancing investor interest with public acceptance. Meyerjürgens highlights the challenge of cutting construction timelines from 20 to 5 years and the strategic role of offshore wind in linking energy production to industry. He also delves into financing strategies, regulatory reforms, and the importance of anticipatory planning for achieving net-zero goals by 2045.
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60 km Line That Paid For Itself
- Tim Meyerjürgens described a 60 km AC line that cost ~€1bn and paid itself by saving €500m in redispatch in year one.
- He used this example to show grid investment can quickly eliminate expensive system-service costs for customers.
Separation Opened Access To Big Equity
- TenneT Germany split from the Dutch parent to attract external equity for massive grid investments.
- The separation unlocked €9.5bn of committed private capital from large investors like NBIM, APG and GIC.
Use A Dual-Track To Lock In Capital
- Prepare dual tracks (private placement and IPO) to secure transaction certainty for large infrastructure deals.
- Prioritize the route that guarantees committed capital if political or market uncertainty threatens an IPO.