ELECTRICITY & HEAT SUPPLY TRANSITION BRANDENBURG

The project concerns a part of the promoter's multi-annual investment programme in electricity distribution and district heating networks and heat generation over a five-year period. The programme components for the electricity network include refurbishment and extension of existing low-, medium- and high-voltage infrastructure to improve the safety, reliability and quality of service, to replace obsolete hardware as well as to enable connections of new system users. The district heating components entail construction of new heat generation capacities (geothermal heat source with heat pumps) as well as renovating and extending the network by refurbishment of existing network infrastructure and construction of new pipelines, substations and client connections. The district heating investments will improve operations, connecting new users, ensuring security of supply and increase the share of renewable energy heat generation (to comply with EEG requirements).

Sector: SECTION D: ELECTRICITY, GAS, STEAM AND AIR CONDITIONING SUPPLY Subsectors: Heat supply, Heat Production (CHP- Biomass) and Distribution of electricity. Investments into the electricity distribution and district heating networks as well as in heat generation. The electricity distribution investments will allow for expansion of the network and its preparation for decentralised feed-in from renewable energy sources. The heat generation investments are expected to include innovative heat projects, such as combined heat and power plants as well as geothermal energy plants, which utilizes existing geothermal energy for environmentally friendly heat supply.

Some schemes may fall under Annex II of the EIA Directive 2011/92/EU as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU, which requires the competent national authority to determine the need for an EIA. The exact requirements, as well as, where and if applicable, the requirements of Birds Directive 2009/147/EC and of Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC, will be verified during appraisal. The schemes are expected to have limited environmental impact. The environmental and social due diligence will follow the programme lending approach according to the EIB's standards. It will focus on the Promoter's capacity to implement the programme in line with the EIB environmental and social standards and requirements. The project is expected to contribute to climate action and environmental sustainability (CA&ES) objectives, in particular to climate mitigation.

The Bank will require the Promoter to ensure that contracts for implementation of the project will be tendered in accordance with the applicable EU procurement legislation, Directive 2014/23/EU / 2014/24/EU / 2014/25/EU as well as Directive 92/13/EEC or Directive 89/665/EEC as interpreted by the Court of Justice of the EU, with publication of tender notices in the EU Official Journal, as and where required. Information on awarded main suppliers/contractors for the implementation of the envisaged operation is not available.