The 34,000 square meter expansion more than doubles the capacity of the plant for HVDC extruded cables featuring a 152.89-meter tall second extrusion tower.
Jun 20, 2024
Nexans has officially opened its newly expanded section of its high voltage subsea cable plant in Halden, Norway to support the increased global demand for electrification and energy transition.
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. It also features a 152.89 meter tall second extrusion tower, which will allow the plant to insulate four cables simultaneously in addition to the two existing lines and qualifies as Norway’s tallest building and first skyscraper.
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The tower will be focused on the production of HVDC cables for offshore wind farms, but can serve both HVDC and HVAC applications. An additional 100 people were hired and trained to support the increase in production from the facility. 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.
The Halden plant also celebrates its 50th anniversary. Having been originally built in 1974 to support the Skagerrak 1 and 2 interconnector projects in cooperation with Statnett, the facility has been involved in projects across the globe. The first extrusion tower was built in 1992 to incorporate the first high voltage XLPE insulated cables into Nexans’ portfolio. The plant also features a state-of-the-art testing facility for high voltage components as well as its own slip to load cables directly onto cable laying vessels such as Nexans’ CLV Aurora, C/S Skagerrak, and Nexans’ newest vessel under construction, the CLV Electra.
Mr. Christopher Guerin, CEO Nexans, said: “Our investment in Halden significantly increases our production capacity and illustrates Nexans’ commitment to sustainability and 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.”
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Mr. Pascal Radue, EVP of Nexans’ Generation and Transmission Business Group, said: “The importance of the newly-expanded Halden plant cannot be overstated. In a world that is rapidly becoming more electrified. The expansion of cable production will supply a critical need in Europe and globally. We are excited to work with our customers on producing the most technologically-advanced cables to date, which will connect renewables to shore and electricity across continents.”
