French subsea power cable maker Nexans has opened the newly expanded section of its high voltage subsea cable plant in Norway to support the increased demand globally for electrification and the energy transition.
The plant, located in Halden, incorporates the most advanced cable production technology to date and features a second 152.89-meter-tall extrusion tower which will allow the plant to insulate four cables simultaneously in addition to the two existing lines.
The expansion project will support key projects including Nexans’ frame agreement with TenneT signed last year.
The construction for the expansion of the plant began in November 2021 and incorporates some of the most advanced cable production technology which will be able to deliver subsea cables up to 525kV for High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) and 420kV for High Voltage Alternating Current (HVAC).
The 34,000 square meter expansion more than doubles the capacity of the plant for HVDC extruded cables.
The tower will be focused on the production of HVDC cables for offshore wind farms, but can serve both HVDC and HVAC applications.
According to Nexans, 100 more people have been hired and trained to support the increase in production from the facility and local indirect jobs will also be created to support the supply chain in Europe and globally. This brings the total employment of the plant up to around 1,000 employees on site.
“Our investment in Halden significantly increases our production capacity and illustrates Nexans’ commitment to sustainability and the global energy transition. The plant will supply international markets with cables for key offshore wind farms and interconnectors that will bring renewable energy from the areas of high supply to those of high demand,” said Christopher Guerin, CEO Nexans.