End-to-end HVDC and HVAC cable systems, engineered, supplied, and installed, enabling reliable electricity transmission across land and sea for utilities, grid operators, and energy developers.
Power transmission is the backbone of modern electricity grids, moving large volumes of energy across regions and national borders. As global markets accelerate the build-out of renewable generation, high-voltage transmission infrastructure is under unprecedented demand, both onshore and offshore.
Today’s grid operators face compounding pressures: surging electricity demand, variable renewable output, aging infrastructure, and increasingly complex permitting environments. Strengthening grid interconnections is essential to improving energy security, preventing blackouts, stabilizing wholesale power markets, and reaching net-zero targets.
Nexans is one of the world’s leading EPCI (Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Installation) contractors for high-voltage cable systems. With over 140 years of cable manufacturing experience and a proprietary fleet of cable-laying vessels, we deliver complete land and subsea transmission solutions, from engineering to energization.
Full EPCI delivery
Single-contractor responsibility from system design through installation and commissioning, reducing project risk and schedule complexity for utilities and developers.
Global project track record
Delivered some of the world’s longest and deepest submarine cable links, including NordLink (Norway–Germany) and Monita (Montenegro–Italy).
Enabling the energy transition
HVDC interconnectors are critical to integrating variable renewables at scale. Nexans provides the transmission backbone that makes large-scale offshore wind and solar economically viable.
Proprietary installation fleet
Nexans owns and operates its cable-laying vessels, ensuring schedule independence, installation quality control, and rapid mobilization for repair emergencies.
of each European country’s
electricity production must
be exported by 2030
interconnection projects have
been implemented in Europe,
with 21 under development.
km of HV cables to be installed between 2020 and 2030
Subsea telecom
data refreshed 16/04/2026
The Norfest project is a ~749 km subsea fiber optic cable system designed to enhance high-capacity, resilient connectivity along the Norwegian coast and into Sweden. It creates a diverse offshore data route, supporting growing demand from data centers and digital infrastructure across the Nordics.
Nexans is responsible for the design and manufacturing of the subsea cable, producing 48 and 96 fiber-pair cables in Norway using its advanced subsea production facilities. The system is built as a passive infrastructure, ensuring reliability and scalability over time. The Norfest cable is manufactured using Nexans’ advanced subsea cable production capabilities in Rognan, Norway, leveraging industrial expertise in high-performance cable design and large-scale extrusion technologies.
The cable is installed and simultaneously buried along the seabed using specialized vessels, with multiple landfalls and branching points connecting key locations. This protected installation method improves durability while minimizing environmental impact.
Subsea telecom
data refreshed 16/04/2026
The SAIL (South Atlantic Inter Link) project is a ~6,000 km submarine fibre-optic cable system connecting Kribi (Cameroon) to Fortaleza (Brazil). It creates a direct, low-latency digital route between Africa and South America, improving international connectivity by bypassing traditional routes through Europe. It also marks Nexans’ first trans-Atlantic fibre optic cable.
Nexans’ role was to design, manufacture, and test the submarine cable system. The fibre-optic cables were produced at Nexans’ facility in Rognan, Norway, then deployed across the South Atlantic seabed to link the two landing points. The system uses high-capacity fibre pairs designed for long-distance transoceanic data transmission.
Subsea telecom
data refreshed 16/03/2026
Nexans has been contracted to manufacture the submarine fibre‑optic cable segments for the TAM‑1 system at its Rognan, Norway facility, supplying state‑of‑the‑art subsea cable infrastructure (up to ~7,000 km) which will serve the Americas connectivity route, connecting the United States (Florida) with the Caribbean, Central America and parts of South America.
Subsea telecom
data refreshed 16/03/2026
Nexans has been contracted to manufacture the submarine fibre‑optic cable segments for the TAM‑1 system at its Rognan, Norway facility, supplying state‑of‑the‑art subsea cable infrastructure (up to ~7,000 km) which will serve the Americas connectivity route, connecting the United States (Florida) with the Caribbean, Central America and parts of South America.
Offshore wind farms
data refreshed 16/03/2026
South Fork Wind is a 132 MW offshore wind farm located about 35 miles off Montauk Point, New York, designed to supply clean electricity to Long Island and power around 70,000 homes.
Nexans’ role is to design and supply approximately 110 km of 3-phase 138 kV HVAC subsea export cables, integrated with two fiber-optic cables to transmit power from the offshore wind farm to shore.
The cables are manufactured at Nexans’ high-voltage subsea cable plant in Charleston, South Carolina. They are then installed on the seabed between the wind farm and Long Island, forming the export link that delivers electricity to the grid.
Offshore wind farms
data refreshed 16/03/2026
Revolution Wind is a 704 MW offshore wind farm located off the coasts of Rhode Island and Connecticut (USA), designed to supply clean electricity to more than 350,000 homes. The project connects the offshore lease area to the onshore grid at Quonset/Davisville in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.
Nexans plays a central role in delivering the export cable system. The company is responsible for the design, manufacturing and installation of approximately 150 km of high-voltage subsea cables, including 300 kV three-core HVAC cables and 2×320 kV HVDC XLPE export circuits—marking the first use of HVDC technology for an offshore wind project in the US. The cables are manufactured at Nexans’ high-voltage facilities and then transported offshore for installation.
Cable laying is carried out by Nexans’ advanced cable-laying vessel Aurora, which installs and protects the cables along the seabed from the offshore site to the landfall at Quonset Business Park, ensuring a secure and reliable connection between the wind farm and the onshore power network.
Interconnections
data refreshed 16/03/2026
The Tyrrhenian Link is a major Italian high‑voltage direct current (HVDC) subsea power connection that links Sicily and Sardinia via two 500 kV HVDC submarine cables totaling around 970 km and offering 1,000 MW transmission capacity to strengthen the national grid.
Nexans designed, manufactured and installed roughly 480 km of the deep‑water subsea cables for the western section between Fiumetorto (Sicily) and Terra Mala (Sardinia), executing the laying in two offshore phases of about 200 km and 280 km.
The project set a world record in December 2025 when Nexans completed the installation of a 500 kV HVDC cable at 2,150 meters below sea level, the deepest such subsea cable installation ever achieved; the final pull‑in and physical connection was completed on 1 January 2026.
In addition to its technical scale, the Tyrrhenian Link also involves converter stations inland at Selargius (Sardinia) and Contrada Caracoli (Sicily) and includes environmental measures such as Posidonia and Cymodocea transplantation near the landing zones.
Interconnections
data refreshed 16/03/2026
In 2022, Nexans was awarded the key contract for the Celtic Interconnector, a strategic electricity link directly connecting France (Brittany) and Ireland (County Cork) via underground and submarine cables, developed by RTE and EirGrid. With a capacity of 700 MW, it will be the world’s longest XLPE interconnector, spanning over 1,000 km of cables—including 500 km under the sea and hundreds of kilometers underground—with a 400 kV AC connection to the Irish grid. Nexans is responsible for the design and manufacturing of the cables, produced in Halden, Norway for submarine cables, Charleroi, Belgium for land cables, and accessories in Cortaillod, Switzerland, showcasing advanced industrial expertise for this groundbreaking project.
The project also features advanced technologies such as bundled HVDC cable installation and a repeatered fiber-optic system for data transmission, supported by specialized logistics including the cable-laying vessel Nexans Aurora to ensure high-quality installation. Recognized as a Project of Common Interest (PCI) by the European Union, the interconnector will enable direct electricity exchange between French and Irish grids, powering up to 450,000 homes, enhancing European energy system resilience, and accelerating the transition to renewable energy.
Interconnections
data refreshed 16/03/2026
Nexans supplied high-voltage underground cables to replace an 8.8 km section of 400 kV overhead line in the scenic Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). By moving the circuits underground, 22 pylons were removed, significantly enhancing the visual landscape and protecting the region’s natural environment.
The project, located near Martinstown and Winterbourne Abbas in the Dorset countryside, involved two three-phase circuits, each with two cables per phase. Cables were manufactured at Nexans’ Charleroi plant in Belgium, while accessories were sourced from their Cortaillod facility in Switzerland. Nexans UK provided full jointing and installation services.
Construction began in 2019 and was successfully completed in 2022, delivering a reliable, high-voltage infrastructure with minimal impact on the iconic Dorset landscape.
Interconnections
data refreshed 16/03/2026
Nexans’ high-voltage underground cables equip the 76 km, 225 kV power line linking Lorient to Saint-Brieuc, in the heart of Brittany, contributing to the creation of Brittany’s electricity “safety net.” Designed to carry large volumes of electricity, this strategic infrastructure strengthens the security of supply for the Breton grid, which has historically relied on electricity imports. It also helps improve grid resilience and facilitate the integration of renewable energy sources in the region.
Interconnections
data refreshed 16/03/2026
A 500 kV XLPE underground cable system reinforcing Shanghai’s grid with a 15 km circuit installed in a dedicated tunnel between the Yanghang and Hongyang substations, for the Shanghai Municipal Electric Power Company. One of the highest voltage XLPE land cable installations in China.
The project uses 45km of extra high-voltage 500kV XLPE cables and accessories supplied by Nexans to support a new power link between Baoshan and Yangpu districts in Shanghai, China.
Nexans designed, manufactured, and installed a 15km underground cable circuit connecting Yanghang station to Hongyang substation.
This marks Nexans’ fourth 500kV project in China and the second 500kV XLPE installation in Shanghai delivered by the company.
Interconnections
data refreshed 16/03/2026
First 400 kV XLPE underground cable system in Dubai; ~60 km of 400 kV XLPE cables installed in dedicated concrete tunnels (ventilation & fire protection). Connects Mamzar 400/132 kV substation to Mushriff and Nahda.
The project plays a key role in DEWA’s plans to upgrade its power transmission infrastructure to meet the constantly increasing demand for electrical power created by the rapid expansion of Dubai Emirate.
The 400 kV XLPE cable was manufactured by the Nexans facility in Charleroi (Belgium). It will features a 2500 mm2 conductor with enamelled copper wires.
Subsea telecom
data refreshed 16/03/2026
Nexans has been contracted to manufacture the submarine fibre‑optic cable segments for the TAM‑1 system at its Rognan, Norway facility, supplying state‑of‑the‑art subsea cable infrastructure (up to ~7,000 km) which will serve the Americas connectivity route, connecting the United States (Florida) with the Caribbean, Central America and parts of South America.
Nexans supplies what it calls the “ROC‑2” product line for this system, including up to 24 fibre pairs in the cables and a variety of armouring types.
Project started in 2024.
Offshore wind farms
Interconnections
Subsea telecom
A cable system failure can mean grid outages, revenue loss, and regulatory exposure. Nexans’ dedicated service division provides end-to-end support across the full cable lifecycle, from commissioning through decommissioning.
Installation fleet
Purpose-built cable-laying vessels for offshore transmission projects
C/S Nexans Skagerrak
7,000-ton capacity turntable, state-of-the-art dynamic positioning, touchdown monitoring ROV, and the Capjet trenching system. Has installed some of the world’s longest and deepest cable links, including NordLink (Norway–Germany) and Monita (Montenegro–Italy), and is fully capable of deep and shallow water repair operations, including repair of the 400 kV HVAC cables across the Strait of Gibraltar and the 450 kV HVDC cable between Norway and the Netherlands.
CLV Nexans Electra
Next-generation cable-laying vessel building on Nexans’ flagship technology. Equipped with three turntables offering a combined 13,500-ton loading capacity and a full suite of subsea tooling including jetting and ploughing systems. Capable of laying up to four cables simultaneously, engineered for the scale demands of major offshore wind and HVDC interconnector projects. This vessel will be delivered in 2026.
More details about our CLV Nexans ElectraCLV Nexans Aurora
Designed to operate in the most severe weather conditions, with a 10,000-ton capacity turntable. Its laying equipment supports complex installation operations for flexible products, including power cables and umbilicals, in both shallow and deep water. A key asset for offshore wind and interconnector projects across the Atlantic, Mediterranean sea and North Sea.
More details about our CLV Nexans Aurora
Inspection, Maintenance & Repair
