Nexans Advances Key Stage in Malta-Sicily Interconnector Project

Nexans has reached a major milestone in the Malta–Sicily Second Interconnector project, with production now well underway at two of its state-of-the-art facilities in Norway and the United States.

At the Rognan plant in Norway, manufacturing of the fibre optic elements has started. These components will be integrated into the high-voltage subsea cable that will connect Malta to the European energy grid via Sicily. Nearly half of the 104 kilometres of fibre optic cable required for the project has already been produced, tested, and shipped to Nexans’ high-voltage cable plant in Charleston, South Carolina, where subsea cable production and testing are ongoing.

Formally contracted in April 2025, the project has been designated as an Operation of Strategic Importance by the Maltese Government and is supported by the European Union’s ERDF programme. Once operational, the 245 kV submarine cable will double Malta’s interconnection capacity, significantly strengthen the island nation’s energy security, enable greater integration of renewable energy, and help avoid an estimated 13.5 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions over its lifetime.

A global leader in the design, manufacturing, and installation of advanced cable systems for offshore wind, subsea interconnectors, and other critical energy infrastructure, Nexans is driving the electrification of the future through turnkey projects like the Malta–Sicily Second Interconnector.

Nexans has completed a key phase in the grid connection of the Dieppe–Le Tréport offshore wind farm for client RTE (Réseau de Transport d’Électricité). This milestone brings France one step closer to delivering a new large-scale renewable energy from offshore to shore.

A High-Precision Offshore Operation

Awarded in March 2022, the contract covers the full turnkey delivery of export cables—offshore and onshore—for one of France’s largest offshore wind projects. Nexans is responsible for the design, engineering, manufacturing, installation, and protection of the 225 kV power cables, as well as long-term inspection, maintenance, and repair (IMR) services.

The wind farm, located in the English Channel, will generate up to 496 MW of renewable electricity—enough to supply approximately 850,000 people. It will play a key role in France’s broader goals for energy transition and independence.

The recent installation campaign, completed this spring, involved more than 100 personnel and 15 different vessels throughout the various phases of the offshore operation. The work was led by Nexans’ cable-laying vessel CS Skagerrak and required tight coordination between offshore and onshore teams.

Key steps in the operation included:

• Preparation of the cable route and subsea nearshore trenches
• Floating of the export cable into position using temporary cable floats, guided towards shore by several powerful work boats maneuvering the cable in strong tidal currents
• Pulling the cable ashore through a pre-installed duct to the transition joint bay
• Removing the floats while ensuring position alignment with a pre-dug subsea trench
• Laying the cable into the pre-defined route, avoiding subsea obstacles such as large sand dunes and potential unexploded ordinances from WW2
• Backfilling of nearshore trenches and burial of the offshore cable into the seabed by means of jet trenching and mechanical trenching machines

Delivering Value – Technically and Locally

The grid connection consists of two 23-kilometre subsea cables and a 3-kilometre long onshore section. Nexans also provides future value through its IMR services, ensuring the long-term reliability and performance of the infrastructure.

The last outstanding phase of the project, planned for August this year, is the final pull-in and connection of the export cables to the offshore substation, followed by the commissioning, completing the export cable link between the offshore wind farm and the French electric grid.

Enabling Offshore Wind at Scale

As Europe accelerates its energy transition, large-scale offshore wind projects like Dieppe–Le Tréport are becoming essential building blocks. Nexans is proud to contribute to this transformation by delivering resilient, high-voltage cable systems that help electrify the future—safely, reliably, and sustainably.