Network Development Plan 2025

Berlin, March 03, 2026 – The Coordination Office for Integrated Network Development Planning Gas and Hydrogen (KO.NEP) is today presenting the first draft of the Network Development Plan (NEP) Gas and Hydrogen 2025 for consultation. The planning of the methane and hydrogen infrastructures was carried out in an integrated process, as provided for in the amended Energy Industry Act (EnWG) of 2024.

The network development plan is based on the scenario framework approved by the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) on April 30, 2025 with three scenarios for methane and hydrogen for the years 2037 and 2045 as well as an additional security of supply scenario for methane in 2030, which takes into account the short-term supply situation. The network expansion proposal includes measures with a pipeline length of 364 km and total investments of EUR 2.9 billion for methane and 7,007 km and around EUR 20.1 billion for hydrogen by 2037. For the transportation of hydrogen, the network development plan also includes a further 2,199 km and EUR 4.1 billion of the originally approved hydrogen core network, which have already been implemented or are currently being implemented and are therefore no longer part of the network expansion proposal. Following the review, the hydrogen core network will therefore remain virtually unchanged.

Barbara Fischer, Managing Director of FNB Gas: “The joint consideration of gas and hydrogen as energy sources is of crucial importance for the transition to climate neutrality. With the integrated network development plan, the network operators are not only fulfilling the legal requirements, but also creating a sound basis for a climate-friendly, secure and resilient energy supply .”

Review of the hydrogen core network

A particular challenge for the transmission system operators (TSOs) and hydrogen transmission system operators (HTSOs) was the review of the hydrogen core network approved in October 2024. This review is caught between the political goal of creating a viable basis for future market development and the continuing uncertainties regarding the actual development of gas and hydrogen demand. In order to address these open questions – particularly with regard to the temporal and spatial ramp-up of the hydrogen market – the grid expansion proposal identifies measures that are necessary in terms of grid technology across all scenarios. In this way, the grid operators make a concrete contribution to the implementation of energy and climate policy goals by enabling a market-driven infrastructure development for the transition to a climate-neutral energy system.

“The transmission and hydrogen transport network operators have made use of the legal and regulatory options for extending the timing and technical adaptation of core network measures. The network expansion proposal in hydrogen roughly corresponds to the scope of the core network approved in 2024. The development of the Germany-wide hydrogen infrastructure was optimized cost-efficiently and adjusted accordingly. The forward-looking network planning thus continues to provide an important and transparent basis for the development of the hydrogen market,” emphasizes Fischer.

There are many reasons for the time extension. The main reason for this is the modeling results of the 2037 hydrogen scenarios. Furthermore, the network operators involved now have more detailed knowledge and feasibility studies for the hydrogen core network, which can be used to draw a more accurate picture of the technical implementation. The actual market ramp-up or delays in planning and approval processes also influence the adjusted planning.

500 km hydrogen core network already realized

By the end of 2025, more than 500 kilometers of the approved hydrogen core network had already been completed. Further measures are currently being implemented.

“We are not only planning the hydrogen ramp-up, we are driving it forward. There is no way around the use of hydrogen to decarbonize industry and achieve climate targets. Forward-looking infrastructure planning is a central key to the success of the market ramp-up, which is still in its infancy,” continued Fischer.

“At the same time, network operators are observing the development of the market ramp-up with growing concern. The hesitant ramp-up significantly increases the risk disposition of the core grid operators with regard to the amortization of the grid. We therefore call on politicians to introduce accompanying measures to support the ramp-up. Despite the faltering market ramp-up, the “concept” for solving the chicken and egg problem remains the right one. Adjustments will be made via the rolling NDP process. For this, the TSOs need a certain degree of flexibility in implementation in order to adapt the speed of implementation to the pace of transformation.” adds the new FNB Gas CEO Dr. Matthias Jenn.

Two-stage approach and updated database

The scope of the integrated consideration of gas and hydrogen with three scenarios to be modeled, plus a security of supply variant, has led to a significantly higher need for analysis than before. The TSOs and WTNB are therefore publishing the Gas and Hydrogen NDP 2025 in two stages.

The draft published today is the first step. In a second step, a revised draft will be published, taking into account the results of the consultation. This revised draft also includes the modeling results for hydrogen in the year 2045 and the modeling of the market-based instruments (MBI). The grid operators are expected to submit this revised draft to the BNetzA for approval in mid-2026.

The consultation on the Gas and Hydrogen Network Development Plan 2025 will take place from March 3, 2026 to March 27, 2026. During this time, all interested parties will have the opportunity to submit written comments on the NDP.

The FNB and WTNB invite you to take part in the consultation and welcome public participation. On March 11, 2026 from 9-12:30 a.m., a public workshop will be held to present the main results of the 1st draft of the Gas and Hydrogen NDP 2025. Registration is possible at https://eventmobi.com/website/konep-konsultations-workshop.

In addition, the NEP gas database has been comprehensively updated and is available at www.nep-gas-datenbank.de with information on input variables for modeling, capacities, expansion measures and other details for methane and hydrogen. The network operators are thus creating a transparent data basis for further technical dialog.