With a symbolic groundbreaking ceremony, Creos Deutschland GmbH has marked the start of construction work on the hydrogen pipeline from Leidingen to Dillingen in Wallerfangen. The new pipeline is the German section of the cross-border hydrogen project mosaHYc (Moselle-Saar Hydrogen Conversion). Following several years of planning and approval procedures, construction is now beginning on a key infrastructure project for transforming the energy supply in Saarland and the Greater Region. The approximately 17 km-long pipeline is intended to transport hydrogen from France towards Dillingen in the future.
Together with senior representatives from politics and industry, Creos officially launched the construction work. Speakers included Anke Rehlinger, Minister-President of Saarland; Johannes Steiniger, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy; Lex Delles, Luxembourg's Minister for the Economy, SMEs, Energy and Tourism; François Werner, Vice-President of the Greater Region; Claude Seywert, CEO of Encevo S.A.; and Frank Gawantka, Managing Director of Creos Deutschland GmbH.
From planning to construction
mosaHYc is a cross-border hydrogen infrastructure project being developed in close cooperation with the French network operator NaTran France. On the German side, Creos is constructing the new pipeline between Leidingen and Dillingen. In France, approximately 20 km of existing pipelines are to be converted and 5 km of new pipeline constructed. This new section will run from Leidingen towards Bouzonville on the French side.
The German part of the project has been classified as an Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) and is being funded by the federal and state governments.
With construction starting in August 2026, the project has reached a decisive milestone on the German side. The planning approval decision was granted in July 2026 and is legally final. Pipeline construction and civil engineering work are now beginning, and excavation can get underway. According to the current project plan, construction is expected to take approximately one and a half years.
Saarland's first hydrogen pipeline will create the conditions necessary to transport hydrogen across borders in the future and make it available to major industrial consumers. mosaHYc is therefore not merely an individual pipeline project, but part of an emerging European hydrogen infrastructure.
As part of Germany's hydrogen core network and other European hydrogen projects, such as HY4LINK and HYFEN, this infrastructure will also enable the transport of imported hydrogen from northern Germany, via the Iberian Peninsula, and through Luxembourg and Belgium.
A high-performance hydrogen infrastructure strengthens security of supply, supports the transformation of industry and improves the conditions for investment and industrial value creation in the region.
Anke Rehlinger, Minister-President of Saarland, said: “With this groundbreaking ceremony, a new chapter for our industrial region is becoming visible. Here, at the heart of Europe, hydrogen is becoming a reality. We are creating the infrastructure needed to lead our industry into a more climate-friendly and competitive future. In doing so, we are driving transformation forward – in Saarland and together with our European neighbours.”
Johannes Steiniger, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, added: “Today's groundbreaking is far more than the start of construction of a pipeline – it makes the hydrogen ramp-up in Germany and Europe visible. mosaHYc exemplifies the development of an integrated European hydrogen market and is an important building block of Germany's hydrogen core network. It supports the transformation of Saarland's industry, connects Germany and France, and demonstrates that production, transport and industrial demand together form the foundation of a future hydrogen economy. My thanks go to all the project partners, companies and approval authorities who have made this important step possible.”
Lex Delles, Luxembourg's Minister for the Economy, SMEs, Energy and Tourism, commented: “This project demonstrates how important shared infrastructure and cross-border cooperation are for our energy future. For Luxembourg, mosaHYc represents another important step towards an interconnected European hydrogen infrastructure and lays the foundation for future connections to neighbouring networks. More hydrogen infrastructure means greater security of supply, competitiveness and resilience for our country and the Greater Region.”
Jürgen Barke, Saarland Minister for Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digital Affairs and Energy, stated: “The cross-border hydrogen network is a key project for the future of our industrial region. It creates the conditions for supplying our steel industry with hydrogen in the future, connecting additional companies and enabling new investment. This is where the infrastructure for tomorrow's industrial value creation and jobs is being created.”
Groundbreaking in Wallerfangen-Gisingen
The official ceremony took place in the immediate vicinity of the future pipeline route, in the Oberlimberg district of the municipality of Wallerfangen. Following the welcoming speeches and a film about the route of the pipeline, the joint symbolic groundbreaking took place at approximately 11:20 am.
Afterwards, those responsible for the project and the speakers were available for interviews and discussions. The invitation to the event was issued under the motto: “Milestone achieved – tick it off.”