Enforcement of the Energy Industry Act (EnWG)

Bayernwerk Netz GmbH (project sponsor) has applied for a planning approval procedure for the modification of the 110 kV overhead line Kastenweiher - Eltmann (Ltg-No. E10007) from the Kastenweiher substation near Erlangen to the border between the administrative districts of Middle Franconia and Upper Franconia.

The 110 kV overhead line Kastenweiher - Eltmann (Ltg-No. E10007) was built between 1972 and 1974, has a total length of approx. 62 km and runs from the Kastenweiher substation near Erlangen in Middle Franconia towards Upper Franconia and ends at the Eltmann substation in Lower Franconia.

The project sponsor, Bayernwerk Netz GmbH, would like to expand the transmission capacity of this line. This is intended to increase the possibility of receiving and distributing yields from renewable energy sources and ensure a secure power supply.

Due to the length of the line, the project sponsor has divided the project into two construction phases. Construction phase 1 begins at pylon 1A and extends to pylon 135; construction phase 2 begins at pylon 135 and ends at pylon 177. The first construction phase comprises pylons in the administrative districts of Middle and Upper Franconia. In accordance with the local responsibilities of the governments of Middle and Upper Franconia, two separate administrative procedures will be carried out for the first construction phase. The government of Middle Franconia, Department for Energy Lines, Promenade 27, 91522 Ansbach, is responsible for carrying out the planning approval procedure in Middle Franconia.

In the Central Franconian section, the project sponsor plans to add a second 110 kV circuit from pylon 21 to the government district border between Central and Upper Franconia. A circuit consists of three conductor cables arranged on one side of the pylon over two levels. Single conductor cables of type 231-AL1/30-ST1A (aluminium-steel cables) and a lightning protection cable, which is a galvanized aluminium cable, are to be used. In addition, pylons 1A and 78 A are to be erected as new branch pylons to connect the Kastenweiher and Höchstadt substations. In addition, pylons no. 4, 22, 51, 58, 60 and 78 are to be rebuilt at the same location - but with master elevations compared to the existing pylons.

There is no obligation to carry out an environmental impact assessment in accordance with the provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment Act (UVPG). As a result of the general preliminary assessment of the individual case in accordance with Section 9 para. 3 sentence 1 no. 2, para. 4 in conjunction with Section 7 UVPG in conjunction with No. 19.1.2 of Annex 1 to the UVPG, it was determined that no additional significant adverse or other significant adverse environmental impacts are to be expected as a result of the construction project and that there is therefore no obligation to carry out an environmental impact assessment. In terms of nature conservation, significant adverse effects can be avoided by taking appropriate measures. Unavoidable adverse effects can be compensated for. Prohibitions under species protection law are avoided through appropriate measures. The other protected assets are not or not significantly affected. The effects during the construction period are limited in terms of location and time.

1. the planning documents are available in the period from

23.02.2026 to 23.03.2026

on the websites of the City of Erlangen, the City of Herzogenaurach, the City of Höchstadt a. d. Aisch, the Municipality of Aurachtal and the Municipality of Weisendorf at www.erlangen.de; www.herzogenaurach.de; www.hoechstadt.de; www.aurachtal.de www.weisendorf.de
for general inspection. In addition, the planning documents will also be published on the website of the government of Middle Franconia at
www.regierung.mittelfranken.bayern.de > Service > Plan approval > Plan approval documents > Plan approval procedure under energy supply line law
published.

It should be noted that, in accordance with Section 43a sentence 3 EnWG, an interested party will be provided with an easily accessible means of access if he or she has submitted a corresponding request to the City of Erlangen, City of Herzogenaurach, City of Höchstadt a. d. Aisch, Municipality of Aurachtal, Municipality of Weisendorf or the Government of Middle Franconia during the duration of the public exhibition. This is usually the sending of a standard electronic storage medium on which the documents to be displayed are stored.

This customary local announcement also serves to notify associations of the interpretation of the plan in accordance with Art. 73 Para. 4 Sentence 5 BayVwVfG.

2. anyone whose interests are affected by the project may lodge a complaint no later than two weeks after the end of the exhibition period, i.e. by 07.04.2026, with

• the City of Erlangen, Rathausplatz 1, 91052 Erlangen,
• the City of Herzogenaurach, Marktplatz 11, 91074 Herzogenaurach,
• the town of Höchstadt a.d. Aisch, Marktplatz 5, 91315 Höchstadt a.d. Aisch,
• the municipality of Aurachtal, Lange Straße 2, 91086 Aurachtal,
• the municipality of Weisendorf, Gerbersleite 2, 91085 Weisendorf
• or
• the Government of Middle Franconia, Department for Energy Lines, Promenade 27, 91522 Ansbach,

raise objections to the plan in writing or for the record.

Objections can also be raised in the following ways:

• as an electronic document with a qualified electronic signature to the address: poststelle@reg-mfr.bayern.de;
  
• or by using the special electronic public authority mailbox (beBPo) of the Government of Middle Franconia.

Other forms of electronic communication are not permitted. Objections sent by "conventional" e-mail without a qualified electronic signature are invalid.

The date of receipt by one of the above-mentioned administrative authorities is decisive for compliance with the deadline. Objections received before the start of the plan presentation are invalid.

Associations that are authorized to lodge appeals against the decision pursuant to Art. 74 BayVwVfG on the basis of recognition under other legal provisions may submit comments on the plan to the aforementioned authorities by the expiry of the aforementioned deadline.

The objection or statement of opinion must identify the concern asserted and the extent of its impairment.

After expiry of the above-mentioned objection period, all objections that are not based on special titles under private law are excluded (Art. 73 Para. 4 Sentence 3 BayVwVfG). Objections and comments from associations are also excluded after this period has expired (Art. 73 Para. 4 Sentences 5 and 6 BayVwVfG).

In the case of objections signed by more than 50 persons on signature lists or submitted in the form of duplicated identical texts (identical submissions), one signatory must be designated on each page bearing a signature with their name, profession and address as the representative of the other signatories, unless they have appointed him/her as an authorized representative. Otherwise, these objections may be disregarded (Art. 17 BayVwVfG).

The government of Middle Franconia will forward all letters of objection and statements (including the personal details contained therein) to the project sponsor, Bayernwerk Netz GmbH, for a possible response. At the request of the objector, their name and address will be made unrecognizable if this is not necessary for the proper conduct of the procedure, cf. section 43a sentence 1 no. 2 EnWG. Any request for anonymization must be expressly and clearly stated by the objector. If this request also concerns content of the objection letter that allows conclusions to be drawn about the identity, it is requested that this be indicated.

3. the Government of Middle Franconia may waive a discussion of the objections and comments submitted in good time (Section 43a sentence 1 no. 3 sentence 1 EnWG). The hearing shall not take place if the requirements set out in Section 43a sentence 1 no. 3 sentence 2 EnWG are met. If a meeting is held to discuss the objections and comments raised against the plan in good time, this shall be announced in the usual manner at least one week in advance.

Those who have raised objections or, in the case of uniform objections (in the sense described above), their representatives or authorized representatives, are notified separately of the hearing (Art. 17 BayVwVfG). If more than 50 notifications are to be made, these notifications can be replaced by a public announcement.

If a party fails to attend the hearing, the hearing may be held without that party. The hearing is not public. The hearing procedure is concluded at the end of the hearing.

4 Costs incurred by inspecting the planning documents, raising objections and comments, attending the hearing or appointing a representative shall not be reimbursed.

5. claims for compensation, insofar as they are not to be decided on the merits in the plan approval, are not the subject of this plan approval procedure, but are to be dealt with in a separate compensation procedure (Section 45a EnWG).

6. the planning approval authority will decide on the objections and comments after completion of the hearing procedure. In accordance with Section 43b (1) no. 3 sentence 1, sentence 2 EnWG, the decision (planning approval decision) is served on the project developer and otherwise made public by making it available for a period of two weeks on the website of the Government of Middle Franconia with information on legal remedies. Reference is made to the publication on the Internet together with the enacting part of the planning approval decision and the information on legal remedies in the relevant local daily newspapers. Two weeks after publication on the website of the Government of Middle Franconia, the planning approval decision is deemed to have been notified to the parties affected and to those who have raised objections.

7. from the start of the plan's display in the planning approval procedure, no changes that significantly increase the value of the land affected by the plan or significantly impede the planned construction project may be made until it is utilized (change ban). This does not affect changes that have been started beforehand in a legally permissible manner, maintenance work and the continuation of a previously practiced use (§ 44a Para. 1 EnWG).

8. from the beginning of the interpretation of the plan, the project developer has a right of first refusal to the areas affected by the plan (§ 44a para. 3 EnWG).

9. note on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

Due to the GDPR applicable since 25.05.2018, it is pointed out that, as part of the public participation in the above-mentioned plan approval procedure, the objections raised and the personal data communicated therein will be collected, stored and processed exclusively for the plan approval procedure by the hearing and plan approval authority (Government of Middle Franconia, Promenade 27, 91522 Ansbach, poststelle@reg-mfr.bayern.de; local data protection officer: Data Protection Officer of the Government of Middle Franconia, Promenade 27, 91522 Ansbach, datenschutzbeauftragte@reg-mfr.bayern.de). The personal data is required in order to be able to assess who is affected. They are stored for as long as is necessary for the fulfillment of the task, taking into account the statutory retention periods. As mentioned above, the data is passed on to the project developer and its commissioned offices for the purpose of evaluating the comments. In this respect, this is a necessary and therefore lawful processing based on a legal obligation pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 letter c GDPR. Further information can be found at:

https://www.regierung.mittelfranken.bayern.de/datenschutz/index.html.

Signed. Lohse

Signature