The German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) has launched the procedure to establish its 2026 Infrastructure Areas Plan, which will designate routes, route corridors and converter platform locations for offshore grid connection lines in Germany’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Germany has begun the process of developing a new Infrastructure Areas Plan 2026 for offshore grid connections, with the draft now available for consultation by authorities and the public.

The procedure was formally launched by the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) on 19 August 2026 under Section 12j of Germany’s Energy Industry Act (EnWG). The plan will identify routes, route corridors and converter platform locations for offshore connection lines in the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The infrastructure areas designated under the plan are intended to complement Germany’s existing Area Development Plan (Flächenentwicklungsplan, FEP) for offshore wind.

Authorities and public invited to comment

The BSH has opened a consultation process as part of the development of the plan. Authorities whose areas of responsibility are affected have until 21 September 2026 to submit comments, while the public has until 19 October 2026 to provide feedback.

According to the BSH, these deadlines are generally not extendable.

The procedure includes the formal launch of the planning process, publication of the announcement and draft plan, participation by the public and relevant authorities, as well as consultation with the responsible transmission system operators.

The final Infrastructure Areas Plan 2026 will subsequently be formally announced by the BSH.

Routes and converter platforms for offshore grid connections

The plan will establish infrastructure areas for offshore connection lines in the EEZ. In particular, the BSH will designate routes, route corridors and converter platform locations as infrastructure areas in accordance with Section 12j, paragraphs 1 and 2 of the EnWG.

In addition to these infrastructure designations, the plan will set out mitigation measures and rules governing mitigation measures for designated infrastructure areas, as well as areas that already qualify as infrastructure areas under Section 70b, paragraph 2 of Germany’s Wind Energy at Sea Act (WindSeeG).

The BSH plans to update the Infrastructure Areas Plan regularly.

No separate strategic environmental assessment for the EEZ

The BSH states that a separate Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the infrastructure areas plan in the EEZ is not required.

According to the agency, the strategic environmental assessments previously carried out for Germany’s Area Development Plan 2023 and Area Development Plan 2025 already took into account the environmental impacts of the infrastructure areas in the EEZ.

Further details are contained in the draft Infrastructure Areas Plan 2026.

Consultation as Germany develops offshore grid infrastructure

The launch of the plan establishes a framework for identifying the infrastructure areas needed for offshore grid connection lines in Germany’s EEZ.

The draft Infrastructure Areas Plan 2026 is available through the BSH’s maritime spatial planning section, where the consultation documents can be accessed.

The current consultation represents the next stage in Germany’s planning process for offshore grid infrastructure, with authorities and the public now able to review and comment on the proposed designations before the plan is formally announced.