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1961
Accompanying the upswing in the economy, there is a sharp rise in electricity consumption. The demands on load distribution change. Against this backdrop, the then grid operator, Energieversorgung Schwaben, decides to build a new load distribution centre in Wendlingen.
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1962
On 29 September, the first early shift starts in the new load distribution centre. The centre already had two workstations and a large alarm screen displaying schematic images of the power plants and transformer substations. At this time, the load distribution and control of the 110 kV and 220kV grids was conducted solely through switching instructions by telephone.
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1974
The development of the grid is advancing more rapidly than expected: the first subsection of the 380 kV grid commences operation. At this time, the technical options for grid control have already been fully utilised. The operator, Energieversorgung Schwaben, thus decides to restructure the grid control system and automate it. A new system control centre is planned for the facility in Wendlingen.
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1977
Due to modernisation, the load distribution centre is transferred to a provisional control room. To reduce the load on the system control centre during the renovations, smaller switching lines and control centres take over the task of controlling the 110 kV grid.
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1980
After three years of renovations, the new system control centre commences operation on 23 May 1980. The load distribution section now starts to concentrate on the utilisation of the Energieversorgung Schwaben power plants and control of the 220 kV and 380 kV grids.
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1984
For the first time, a real-time data processing system is used to monitor switching status. This means that the high-voltage grid is now controlled remotely from Wendlingen via a data processing computer – as opposed to the previous method of telephoning the local switching stations.
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1990
Commissioning of the power-frequency control by Energieversorgung Schwaben.
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1990 - 1998
Following the liberalisation of the electricity market, Energieversorgung Schwaben and Badenwerk merge to become EnBW. A new company, EnBW Transportnetze AG, is founded and the system control centre in Wendlingen takes over the responsibility for system management. The task of power plant utilisation is now performed by the power plant, EnBW Kraftwerksgesellschaft. The size of the grid doubles and the control centre in Wendlingen now monitors the electricity supply for the entire state of Baden-Württemberg. In addition, the system control centre is upgraded. Unlike the previous keyboard-controlled system, the new system that engineers now operate is based on computers with graphic user interfaces.
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1998 - 2001
Cutting-edge IT technology is built in and the alarm board is replaced with a large projection screen. At the beginning of 2000, the new control room in Wendlingen commences operation. The data transfer from the system control centre for Badenwerk AG in Daxlanden takes another one and a half years – only then is the integration of the grids operated by Badenwerk AG and Energieversorgung Schwaben complete. With the integration of Neckarwerke Stuttgart AG into the EnBW Group, the centre in Wendlingen also assumes control of the transmission grid for Neckarwerke Stuttgart as the final step.
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2012
A third continuously staffed workstation is added to the control room in Wendlingen. In addition to the workstations for the grid management and system balancing, an operational planner is also integrated into the existing control room. The operational planner takes on the new task of regional coordination of grid operation within the group known as the TSO Security Cooperation, a partnership between European transmission system operators with the purpose of coordinating their task more effectively.
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2015
Growing demands on the system management of the transmission system operator due to the energy transition, higher specifications for the technical infrastructure and security can no longer be met with the existing system control centre. However, retrofitting would not be sufficient. As a result, a completely new facility is constructed in Wendlingen.
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2017
The new system control centre is completed. Equipped with the latest technology, it is prepared for the challenges of grid operation in the era of energy transition. The new control room guarantees a secure electricity supply for Baden-Württemberg. Its day-to-day operation is determined by close collaboration with German and international neighbours as well as frequent utilisation of grid security interventions.
