GK Wien–Southeast

The GK Wien-Südost was a high-voltage direct-current station that linked the power grids of Austria and Hungary. It stood in the southern outskirts of Vienna, near the border with Lower Austria. The facility was built by Siemens and used 864 thyristors in its inverters. Four three-phase transformers handled the operation voltage of 142 kV. Its maximum transfer power reached 600 MW when it began operation in June 1993. The station remained in service longer than a similar plant in Bavaria because Austria lacked a full 380 kV national grid at the time. Technical problems were resolved in 1996 with new frequency regulation equipment in Polish coal-fired stations. After its shutdown in October 1996, the site’s maximum transfer capacity shifted to the 380 kV line towards Győr. One harmonic filter was preserved as a monument, while the inverter hall became a workshop. Visitors today see the preserved harmonic filter standing near the former control centre. A new building now houses Austria’s power-grid control centre on the site. The static inverter hall remains intact, repurposed for workshops. Nearby, a 26-kilometre pylon section carries two 380 kV circuits towards Stixneusiedl substation. The line continues for 37.5 kilometres before crossing into Hungary, with a second circuit added later.