Regensburg Netz GmbH launches six-year smart grid upgrade with Corinex for broadband over power line communications

In a major regional initiative to modernize power infrastructure, German energy utility Regensburg Netz GmbH has announced a six-year rollout of smart grid communications using broadband over power line (BPL) technology from Corinex Communications. The project, following a successful pilot phase concluded in May 2025, will digitize the entire power grid serving Regensburg and its surrounding areas, laying the foundation for real-time monitoring, electric vehicle integration, and renewable energy responsiveness. Corinex, a Vancouver-headquartered global leader in BPL systems, will provide the technological backbone for this transition.

Regensburg Netz GmbH, which operates the electricity and gas networks for over 250,000 residents in the region, is undertaking this large-scale deployment as part of its commitment to sustainable energy management and the digital transformation of public utilities. The smart meter-driven communication system will run over existing power lines, minimizing additional infrastructure needs while enabling high-speed data transfer across the low-voltage grid.

How does broadband over power line technology enable smart grid digitalization in Regensburg?

Broadband over power line (BPL) technology forms the centerpiece of this grid upgrade by transforming existing electrical wiring into a data transmission medium. By leveraging the G.hn communication standard, Corinex’s BPL solution delivers high-speed broadband data over the low-voltage grid, providing two-way communication between smart meters, distributed energy resources, and central control systems without the need for dedicated telecom lines.

For Regensburg Netz GmbH, this approach unlocks near real-time insights into grid performance, allowing for fine-tuned control of power flows, early fault detection, and dynamic load balancing. The system will support voltage monitoring, harmonic analysis, temperature tracking, and distributed generation observability. This level of visibility is particularly valuable as more solar photovoltaic systems, heat pumps, and electric vehicles plug into the network.

Institutional observers note that BPL’s ability to integrate digital telemetry without large-scale fiber investments makes it an increasingly attractive option for municipal utilities seeking scalable grid modernization. It is especially suited for legacy grids where trenching for communication cabling would be prohibitively expensive or slow.

What benefits will Regensburg consumers and grid operators experience from this smart meter-driven grid expansion?

The upgrade promises significant gains in power system reliability, energy efficiency, and environmental sustainability for both utility operators and local residents. With the BPL network in place, Regensburg Netz GmbH will be able to precisely monitor electricity demand patterns, detect abnormalities such as voltage dips or harmonic distortions, and quickly reroute power to prevent outages.

From a consumer perspective, smart meters powered by this communication layer will support time-of-use pricing, faster fault rectification, and improved service reliability. The ability to coordinate distributed energy inputs—from rooftop solar systems to vehicle-to-grid (V2G) chargers—will also reduce congestion in the distribution system.

As more electric vehicles are introduced, especially in cities like Regensburg that are pushing for greener transport options, the grid’s ability to adapt to high peak charging loads will be critical. Corinex’s technology enables active grid balancing during such load spikes, protecting infrastructure and ensuring quality of service.

Grid analysts believe that such smart systems can eventually lay the groundwork for decentralized, peer-to-peer energy trading and dynamic grid marketplaces, although such models are still in early experimentation stages across Europe.

Why did Regensburg Netz GmbH choose Corinex, and how did the pilot phase validate the technology’s potential?

Corinex was selected after extensive technical evaluations and pilot trials, driven by its proven success in deploying BPL in complex European grid environments. The May 2025 pilot installation validated Corinex’s G.hn-based solution under local grid conditions, confirming its signal stability, resilience, and low-latency communication performance even in dense urban topology.

Engineers from Regensburg Netz GmbH confirmed that the pilot zone demonstrated clear gains in data throughput and sensor fidelity, essential for real-time control applications. These results gave the municipal utility confidence to authorize a full grid-wide deployment, which will now proceed in staged rollouts through 2030.

The staged rollout strategy allows each network section to be digitized without interrupting ongoing supply. This phased integration also ensures compatibility with other digital systems, such as remote switchgear and substation automation.

Corinex’s partnership with Regensburg Netz GmbH is expected to serve as a blueprint for similar city-scale energy upgrades throughout Germany and other EU countries working to comply with decarbonization mandates and digital energy directives.

How does this BPL initiative align with Regensburg’s energy transition and sustainability goals?

This grid modernization effort is a central pillar in Regensburg’s broader energy transition strategy. The city has outlined aggressive climate goals, including CO₂ reduction targets and improved energy efficiency benchmarks, and this project directly supports those objectives.

By enabling granular monitoring and control of energy flows, the new BPL infrastructure reduces technical losses across the grid, allows for better planning of renewables integration, and lowers the carbon footprint associated with manual field operations. The ability to control and schedule flexible loads will become crucial as Germany phases out fossil fuel-based baseload generators and moves toward distributed green energy sources.

Local authorities have expressed that the system’s scalability will be essential for long-term decarbonization—supporting future infrastructure such as neighborhood batteries, smart appliances, and AI-driven demand forecasting.

From a European policy standpoint, the project also contributes to the EU’s Smart Grid Task Force priorities and Digital Decade targets, which aim to fully digitize utility infrastructure across member states by 2030.

What is the timeline for the full rollout of smart meters and BPL across Regensburg’s energy grid?

Following the pilot’s successful conclusion in May 2025, the full deployment of Corinex’s BPL-enabled smart grid will unfold over the next five years. Initial phases will prioritize high-demand zones and areas with significant rooftop solar and EV uptake. Suburban and rural extensions will follow, ensuring equitable access to digital energy services.

By the end of 2026, Regensburg Netz GmbH anticipates completing installations in over 30% of its service area, with complete citywide coverage projected for 2030. This aggressive timeline reflects strong local political backing for climate-focused infrastructure and a clear alignment between municipal utilities and national energy policies.

Procurement cycles, training for installation crews, and ongoing interoperability testing with other energy management systems are already underway, with key milestones tied to quarterly regulatory reporting on energy system modernization.

What do institutional stakeholders expect from the project’s long-term impact on utility business models?

Institutional investors and grid planners view this project as a long-term strategic pivot toward utility-as-a-platform business models. By building digital communication capabilities into the distribution network, Regensburg Netz GmbH positions itself not just as an energy transporter but as an active orchestrator of distributed energy ecosystems.

The new system supports dynamic energy transactions, grid participatory schemes, and potential data monetization strategies through anonymized usage pattern analytics. While such models are still nascent in Germany, they are drawing increasing attention in energy boardrooms and investment circles.

From a risk mitigation standpoint, the digitized infrastructure helps future-proof the utility against disruptive shocks—from extreme weather to supply chain imbalances—by giving operators more control and visibility. It also improves compliance with emerging EU regulations that mandate detailed energy flow tracking and grid responsiveness.

Institutional observers expect that successful implementation could increase Regensburg Netz GmbH’s access to green infrastructure funding mechanisms and enhance its ESG profile among public-private partnership platforms.