Security Concerns Force Rethink of Upplands-Bro Power Line Project, Threatening Housing Plans

The power line project between Hamra in Enköping and Överby in Sollentuna, intended to upgrade the existing 220 kV line to a 400 kV connection enhancing the Stockholm region's electricity supply, faces significant changes due to security concerns. Svenska kraftnät has decided to reassess the originally planned underground segment from Granhammar in Upplands-Bro to Överby, now favoring overhead lines. This shift affects approximately 7-8 kilometers of the 50-kilometer route.

Jan Stefanson, chair of the Upplands-Bro community planning committee, expressed strong dissatisfaction with the decision, stating it disregards local interests and complicates housing development plans on northern Stäksön. He questioned why alternatives, such as placing a pole outside the island, were not considered. Project lead Johan Olsson explained the move is motivated by heightened security concerns amid the crisis in Ukraine, emphasizing that underground cables are slower and more difficult to repair during emergencies.

Affected property owners will be consulted before a new permit application is submitted to the Energimarknadsinspektionen. While the modification will alter timelines, preliminary construction is expected to start in 2027/2028, with operations commencing by 2030/2031. The rest of the power line project remains unchanged.

This decision highlights tensions between security imperatives and local development interests in Upplands-Bro, drawing critique from municipal politicians and raising concerns about the impact on future housing in the area.