Substation on Germany’s highest peak gets LTE-450 connectivity

On the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest mountain, a local substation operated by network operator Bayernwerk Netz GmbH, has been upgraded with technology for remote monitoring and control.

At almost 3,000 metres, the Zugspitze substation is the highest power grid in Bayernwerk’s service area, supplying electricity to the Zugspitzbahn railway, the German Weather Service station and the Max Planck Society research facility, among others.

At the core of the retrofit installation is a rugged industrial router from Garderos, a German company that designs, develops, and produces ruggedised, cyber-secure routers and router management systems for critical infrastructures such as energy grids.

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The router supports both conventional public cellular and LTE-450 connectivity. This combination ensures secure and highly available data transmission – even under harsh alpine conditions, according to a release from 450 Alliance, which promotes allocation and use of 400/450MHz bands and licensed 4G/5G spectrum.

According to the 450 Alliance, the tech will enable remote and exposed sites to be integrated into the digital power grid, calling it a vital step toward greater resilience, security of supply, and transparency in energy networks.

The retrofit solution will allow real-time access to operating data and make it possible to track voltage and power values in the future.

The router deployment is the latest in a long-standing partnership with Garderos for Bayernwerk Netz, who is Bavaria's largest regional grid operator.

The company has around 3,400 employees at more than 20 locations and transports over 70% of its energy from renewable sources.