Accelerating electrification through shared innovation

Electrification lies at the heart of the energy transition. Yet behind this now-familiar term unfolds a profound industrial and societal transformation — new technologies, new uses, new models of collaboration. Through their partnership, Nexans and Rexel demonstrate how shared innovation and close proximity to the field can make this transformation tangible, effective, and sustainable.

In the face of the climate emergency, electrification has emerged as one of the most powerful drivers of decarbonization. According to the International Energy Agency, more than 70% of the emissions reductions needed by 2050 will come from electric technologies — from heating and mobility to industrial production and data centers.

Achieving this, however, requires more than an energy substitution. It calls for a fundamental rethinking of networks, uses, and infrastructure. This is precisely where Rexel, a leading distributor of energy solutions, and Nexans, a global leader in cable design, manufacturing, and sustainable electrification, join forces.

Partners at the heart of the value chain

One designs and manufactures; the other distributes. Together, Rexel and Nexans connect industrial innovation with real-world needs.

Their collaboration is rooted in an ecosystem approach: Rexel, through its extensive distribution network and close relationships with installers and integrators, captures market expectations. Nexans, in turn, develops advanced technical and digital solutions — from low-carbon cables and intelligent cable management systems to traceability technologies.

This virtuous loop accelerates the deployment of innovation while ensuring large-scale adoption.

Innovation is the driving force of this partnership.

At Rexel, it means simplifying installers’ work and improving building performance. At Nexans, it’s about mastering the technology behind the cable — a discreet yet critical link in the energy chain.

From this convergence emerge tangible innovations:

• Mobiway Pop Connect and Mobiway Mob, designed to make cable handling and installation safer and more ergonomic;
• The low-carbon AR2V cable, the result of a redesigned industrial process that significantly reduces CO₂ emissions;
• Smart cabling solutions that measure cable usage and optimize on-site logistics.

Presented at Rexel Expo 2024, these innovations embody a shared philosophy: making the energy transition concrete through simple, practical, and measurable solutions.

A partnership built on proximity and trust

Beyond products, the Rexel–Nexans partnership is grounded in a deep understanding of the market. Commercial and technical teams from both companies work hand in hand to adapt solutions to a wide range of projects — from commercial buildings and industrial facilities to data centers and electric mobility.

This close collaboration also fosters experimentation. In recent years, several joint pilot projects have tested innovations in real-world conditions — from new cable drums and digital monitoring tools to low-carbon logistics models.

Electrification is not an end in itself — it’s a systemic shift. It redefines how buildings are designed, powered, and managed. As systems become increasingly interconnected and intelligent, data is becoming as vital as the cable itself.

This is where the collaboration between Nexans and Rexel takes on its full meaning: bridging technological performance with operational reality, and linking ecological transition with local value creation.

The future of electrification will depend on this alliance between industrial innovation and field proximity — an alliance that Nexans and Rexel already embody.

Managing extreme loads and power demands

Railways face peak service times; data centers wrestle with intensive computing loads. Both require robust load balancing, real-time energy management, and power quality control.

High-Temperature Superconducting (HTS) cables meet these demands through exceptional transmission capabilities. They’re up to 10 times more compact than conventional cables, reducing land use and installation costs while eliminating energy losses entirely.

A single superconducting cable delivers over 2GW in AC and more than 3GW in DC, using a trench just 0.5 meters wide. This space-saving design proves invaluable in urban environments where land acquisition poses challenges. A 15kV AC HTS cable can transmit over 100 MVA at distribution levels—a significant market advantage.

Inside data halls, superconducting high-current low-voltage cables reduce required space by 24 times compared to conventional solutions. This ultra-compact design delivers ultra-high current density, virtually zero transmission loss, and dramatically cuts the overall footprint.

Ensuring reliability and redundancy

Continuous operation is non-negotiable for both sectors—downtime means delays, data loss, system failures, and safety risks. AI data centers demand “five nines” availability (99.999% uptime), while railways require similar redundancy to ensure 100% on-time departures and arrivals.

Superconducting cable systems include complete redundancy in both the High-Temperature Superconducting (HTS) cable and cryo-cooling system. Maintaining balanced loads ensures system redundancy, supporting the highest operational reliability standards. Superconducting fault current limiters (SFCLs) add critical protection by automatically limiting overload currents without disrupting service. This safeguards transformers and circuit breakers while enhancing grid stability, power quality, and overall reliability.

Solving power conversion challenges

Superconducting DC cables eliminate unnecessary conversions between renewable sources and end applications, avoiding the complexity and losses of traditional power electronics.

Yet, both sectors depend heavily on power electronics, typically involving AC-to-DC conversion through inverters or converters. Harmonics and filtering prove critical for maintaining power quality. Furthermore, superconducting cables produce no electromagnetic fields—a safe, trouble-free solution that avoids potential interference.

Optimizing cooling and thermal management

Cooling operations for traction electronics, substations, servers, batteries, and UPS systems present ongoing challenges in reducing power consumption and achieving higher performance standards.

Superconducting cables don’t emit heat. Compared to conventional resistive cables, they’re more compact and generate no heat, eliminating the need for additional HVAC cooling while reducing associated electrical load and CO₂ emissions, and thereby preventing overheating and minimising energy waste.

Unlocking renewable energy integration

Renewable energy integration has driven investment for years, increasing solar and wind use at stations, depots, and data centers—often with on-site solar and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). Smart grid interaction, including demand response, load shifting, and peak shaving, is becoming standard.

Superconductivity acts as a game-changer for renewable integration. The HTS-DC pairing solves the renewable energy paradox: we can generate clean power, but struggle to deliver it efficiently where needed. Solar farms and wind turbines often sit far from cities, and every kilowatt lost during transmission means burning more fossil fuels to compensate.

Superconducting DC cables transport very large currents at low voltages over several kilometers with no voltage drop—ideal for connecting remote renewable sources to high-demand urban applications.

This capability enables fully carbon-free, modular energy solutions through Uninterrupted Power Plants (UPPs): modular microgrids integrating HTS low-voltage DC loops for maximum reliability and seamless off-grid operation. Both rail networks and data centers can operate on dedicated renewable microgrids, eliminating fossil fuel backup and achieving true carbon neutrality.

Superconducting cables transmit DC power with zero loss, making them ideal for solar panels operating at 1500V DC. They guarantee full power delivery, maximizing efficiency for rail tracks or data halls, and suit BESS systems where DC is transmitted efficiently using HTS cables.

Optimizing energy consumption

Increasing public and regulatory pressure to lower down energy consumption and carbon emission forces industries to transform and define upgraded electrical systems including

• Smart energy optimization including Alternative current and Direct Current electrical distribution
• Digital twins for simulation and energy modeling including the adoption of Innovative Grid Technologies (IGTs) – Superconductivity is part of those new technologies that are supporting the modernization of the grid.
• Modular design for energy scaling and fault isolation – the sFCL (superconducting Fault Current Limiters) are more and more considered as a way to reach the unmanned operation for sub-stations. No dependence on human factor in case of fault and the best protection for electrical equipment forming part of the substation.

Railway revolution in action

SNCF Réseau’s pioneering installation at Paris’ Montparnasse station demonstrates concrete benefits: higher capacity, reduced losses, and more efficient energy use.

The HTS cable was designed to fit existing ducts while delivering zero-loss, zero-environmental impact operation with no complex permitting. Built to handle fluctuating loads without service interruptions, the system represents a world first—withstanding fault currents up to 40 kA in just 200 milliseconds.

Data center revolution

AI workloads are transforming data centers from “server warehouses” into power-hungry, ultra-complex infrastructure hubs—now comparable to power plants in energy demand. AI racks consume 30-100+ kW each, with some hitting 120+ kW. Whole facilities are planned at 500 MW to 1 GW+—a city’s worth of electricity.

The superconducting approach delivers ultra-high current density, virtually zero transmission loss, and a dramatically smaller footprint than conventional cabling solutions. This presents significant advantages for data center applications in terms of energy consumption and operating costs. Compactness allows for reduced civil works and more efficient project execution, entailing enhanced profitability—earlier facility operation generates faster return on investment.

Several stakeholders are incorporating superconducting systems into feasibility studies. Microgrids using superconductivity are increasingly implemented to achieve greater independence from grid operators and potentially shorten project timelines.

Direct solar integration proves ideal: PV panels produce hundreds of renewable MW at 1500V DC. Superconducting microgrids designed with HTS cables rated for 10 kA at 1500V ensure continuous, off-grid renewable energy power transfer of 30 MW to power data centers. When paired with renewable generation and energy storage in hybrid microgrids, HTS technology enables data centers to operate continuously, sustainably, and independently of the main grid.

The infrastructure revolution ahead

Superconductivity is redefining two of society’s most critical industries by delivering resilience, efficiency, and large-scale sustainability. By replacing copper with direct current superconducting cables, rail networks and data centers gain higher capacity, lower energy losses, resource conservation, emission-free transmission, and improved safety—all in a compact footprint.

This transformation extends beyond individual sectors, creating the backbone for an entirely electrified, sustainable energy system where renewable generation, efficient transmission, and high-demand applications work in seamless integration. Leading companies like Nexans are developing end-to-end solutions supporting the rollout of this scalable, future-proof architecture powering our transition to a fully electrified, sustainable future.

Several systemic constraints stand in the way of modernizing urban grids efficiently:

• Space limitations: Conventional cabling systems require substantial space and specialized equipment – but underground corridors are already saturated with existing infrastructure, making new cable routing extremely difficult.
• Escalating costs: Environmental restrictions, land acquisition, and rental fees can add hundreds of thousands of dollars to projects.
• Grid bottlenecks: Environmental and proximity constraints severely limit the connection of new renewable energy sources, creating a barrier to the very transition these systems are meant to support.
• Unpopular disruption: Construction works required to install new cables often go with noise pollution, traffic congestion, and environmental concerns leading to increasing public opposition.
• The reality is clear: succeeding in the energy transition requires radically rethinking electrical infrastructures with innovative technologies that balance growing demand, system resilience, and urban liveability. Enter superconducting systems.

HTS cables: Zero-resistance transmission

High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) technology draws its transformative power from its core property: superconductivity. With virtually zero electrical resistance, these cables can carry extraordinarily high currents in much less sections that copper or aluminum conductors. In fact, a single 17-centimeter-diameter cable can handle up to 3.2 gigawatts à high voltage– that’s roughly the output of three nuclear reactors and several 100 MW underground at medium voltage, able to secure the supply of big cities without adding new high voltage lines.

This absence of heat generation eliminates the need for wide thermal clearances and ventilation systems, allowing HTS systems to be installed in simple trenches rather than purpose-built tunnels. Their compact footprint means that the required corridors are up to ten times narrower than for conventional systems. They also generate no electromagnetic interference and emit no external magnetic field, making them safe neighbors to other infrastructures in these confined spaces.

Beyond the installation advantages, HTS systems provide enormous operational flexibility. A 400-kilovolt conventional system can be replaced with a 132 or 275 kV-kilovolt superconducting system without losing capacity at lower cost mainly due to the saving of large 400 kV transformers in the substation—and because the cable system including ancillary systems is modular, the same cable design works equally well for compact urban networks and long-distance transmission.

SFCLs: Instantaneous fault protection

Superconducting properties can also be used to mitigate overcurrent, almost instantaneously. Superconducting Fault Current Limiters (SFCLs) provide vital protection against fault currents that can damage critical assets such as transformers and switchgear. In the event of a short circuit or fault condition, SFCLs instantly and automatically limit excessive current without the need for mechanical intervention or voltage disturbance. SFCLs use superconductors’ intrinsic properties to transition from zero-resistance to resistive state within milliseconds, limiting fault current before it damages  equipment on the same branch. SFCLs can be integrated and connect to any electrical system — offering enhanced network reliability, optimized infrastructure protection, and reduced equipment aging from thermal stress.

Proven success in real-world applications

Multiple operational projects demonstrate the technological maturity and transformative potential of superconducting systems in diverse urban environments. Here’s a look at three:

These concrete achievements demonstrate that superconductors have evolved from experimental technology to an industrial solution set to transform urban electrical transmission and distribution.

Building tomorrow’s grid

With operational projects proving their reliability and cities facing mounting pressure to electrify rapidly, superconducting systems represent more than just an upgrade; they’re a fundamental shift in how urban grids can be designed and deployed.

Rather than fighting space constraints and community resistance with conventional solutions, utilities can now build smaller, quieter, and more efficient networks that actually support the energy transition they’re meant to enable. Superconducting systems give cities a practical pathway to meet surging electricity demand while achieving decarbonization goals – a future-ready backbone for resilient and sustainable urban power.

As demand from electric vehicles, hydrogen production, and heating and cooling systems accelerates, grids face unprecedented pressure. However, much of today’s cable network—particularly in Western Europe, North America, and Japan—is already decades old, never designed for the loads we are seeing today.

Take, for example, a distribution system operator in New York with a cable network that’s over 50 years old and operating near capacity. Adding new loads from EVs and heat pumps not only accelerates the aging of existing cables but also limits the ability to connect new renewable generation due to thermal and voltage constraints. Replacing or upgrading these cables using conventional high-voltage solutions requires extensive excavation in urban areas, where underground space is already crowded with telecommunications, water, gas, and transport infrastructure.

Even when installation is technically possible, environmental restrictions, lane rental charges, and traffic management fees can increase project costs by hundreds of thousands of dollars. Land acquisition for wider cable routes compounds the challenge, particularly when existing rights-of-way cannot accommodate the spacing needed for conventional cables, which require significant separation to manage heating effects and electromagnetic interference.

Meanwhile, safety and reliability requirements keep rising. Networks must deliver electricity without cuts, breakdowns, cascading failures, or blackouts. They need to handle fault currents that can damage critical assets like transformers and switchgear. And as public expectations grow, networks must minimize electromagnetic interference, reduce CO₂ emissions, recycle obsolete assets responsibly, and reassure communities about safety.

This scenario is playing out in major cities worldwide, while rural areas face their own infrastructure constraints. Meeting electrification needs at scale will require massive infrastructure upgrades: grids will need roughly 80 million kilometers of new or refurbished cable by 2040 – and conventional systems alone cannot keep up with demand.

High-Temperature Superconducting (HTS) cables and fault current limiters represent a fundamentally different approach to power transmission. The technology exploits the complete loss of electrical resistance that occurs in certain materials at extremely low temperatures, known as one of the key properties of superconductivity.

HTS materials require cooling to approximately -200°C, typically with liquid nitrogen. “High temperature” here means relative to the first generation of superconductors, which requires temperatures below -243°C to operate. The liquid nitrogen circulates in cryogenic envelopes, a thermally-insulated jacket that surrounds the cable. Liquid nitrogen is relatively inexpensive, environmentally harmless, and easier to manage than many industrial coolants. More importantly, the energy saved by eliminating transmission losses exceeds the energy required to maintain the cryogenic environment.

The electricity flowing through your home right now has traveled hundreds of miles of conventional resistive cables, losing roughly 10% of its power along the way. That waste, about 180 TWh annually in Europe alone, is enough to power three major cities. HTS cables requires 10 times less energy to supply electricity.

Why choose superconducting cables?

For modern grids, HTS systems offer huge advantages over conventional alternatives, especially in dense urban environments:

• Space efficiency and economics: HTS cables generate no heat or electromagnetic fields at any load along the cable route, so phases need no separation. Cables can be buried at any depth and close to other multi-energy network without expensive tunneling or specialized conduits, shrinking rights-of-way to up to one-tenth the width of conventional systems. In cities where land costs tens of thousands per meter, this benefit alone is game-changing.
• Enormous transmission capacity: One HTS cable can handle over 3 gigawatts. Fewer circuits and minimal substation upgrades are needed, while retrofits can multiply tunnel capacity without major construction with minimal electrical loss if not zero in Direct Current.
• Smaller environmental footprint: Less excavation and reduced permitting complexity can result in shorter project timelines and less public opposition.
• Resilience: Fully shielded, superconducting cables are weatherproof, highly secure, and nearly free of stray electromagnetic fields – meaning power availability is protected even if part of the grid is disrupted.

It’s a win-win(-win-win).

• Any source, anywhere: HTS cables handle rooftop solar, fuel cells, remote wind parks.
• Automatic protection: SFCLs limit fault currents instantly, no active controls needed.
• Smart, resilient grids: SFCLs allow the increase of supply and demand, improving reliability and supporting integration of distributed or remote generation.
• Electrification ready: Scales EV charging and industrial loads without massive new builds.

Ready for a superconducting grid revolution?

Infrastructure demands, technological maturity, and a strong business case are aligning to support widespread HTS adoption. Companies like Nexans, with facilities across Germany, France, and Norway, have developed cutting-edge expertise across the entire superconducting technology stack and are contributing to international standards that will accelerate global rollout.

The question isn’t whether superconducting technology will transform electrical grids, but how quickly utilities, governments, and investors will recognize the opportunity. Grid operators who move early will gain significant competitive advantages in efficiency, reliability, and capacity. Those who wait may find themselves constrained by the very infrastructure limitations that superconducting technology is designed to solve.

Grid technicians are on the front lines of the energy transition. Yet many of the products they work with are not designed with their realities in mind. Poor ergonomics, unintuitive interfaces, and complex installation sequences increase fatigue, raise error rates, and drive costly reworks. In fact, up to 75% of network outages are due to problems with the installation of accessories.

Designing from the installer’s perspective turns product development into a strategic enabler of grid performance. Human-centric design prioritizes intuitive use, real-world behavior, and ​​the physical experience of the technician, not just the engineering specification.

This begins with field observation: understanding how technicians move, use tools, and manage physical strain. By identifying pain points in cable and accessory installation, designers can reduce unnecessary complexity and optimize for real-life conditions.

Practical examples:

• A redesigned MV joint that cuts installation steps from 65 to just 17, dramatically reducing the potential for error.
• An ergonomic, modular joint system that simplifies handling and minimizes physical strain.

These changes, grounded in installer feedback and ergonomic testing, lead to safer, faster, and more consistent installations.

Human-centric thinking also extends to packaging and logistics. Intuitive solutions like retractable handles, wheeled reels, and universal spools improve transportation and handling. These “low-tech” innovations play a high-impact role in reinforcing a more resilient, human-centered grid, while also supporting sustainability.

Here are just a few ways AR is transforming installation and maintenance in the field:

At the core of these innovations is a shared goal: empowering the workforce behind electrification.

Achieving clean energy targets won’t be solved by infrastructure alone. It requires investing in people, giving them the tools, training, and support they need to succeed in the field.

That’s why the shift to intuitive design and smart digital tools is no longer optional. It is foundational. The future of grid reliability will be shaped not by what we install but by how and by whom it is installed.

The future of electrification won’t be wired by machines alone. It will be built by skilled hands empowered with smarter tools.

Nexans is leading this evolution by embedding human-centric thinking and transformative technologies across its entire portfolio. From ergonomic joints to AI-enabled QA platforms, Nexans is helping utilities equip their workforce to work faster, safer, and with greater confidence.

While attention is often focused on cables and transformers, the most overlooked and failure-prone elements of electrical grids are the accessories that silently connect everything.

More than 70% of distribution grid failures occur at junctions; but most utilities still rely on inspections with limited visibility.

These hidden critical links are often buried beneath city streets and deep under the ocean floors, silently carrying power. When they fail, the consequences include costly repairs, extended downtime, and widespread service disruptions. Preventing this costly domino effect is a top priority for grid operators today.

So, why do these critical connection points fail in the first place, and more importantly, how can they be avoided?

Accessories: the hidden cause behind grid failure

It is often mistakenly assumed that electrical grid failures are due to faulty cables and transformers. But in reality, it is the accessories (cable connectors, joints, and terminations) that account for a disproportionate share of failures.

These components degrade over time due to thermal fatigue, mechanical stress, vibrations, moisture ingress, and, in many cases, improper installation practices such as misalignment or over torque. Pinpointing the location of a failure is notoriously difficult. Limited visibility and lack of diagnostic data make troubleshooting time-consuming and costly.

As an example, an MV cable connector failure can cost, on average, between €10,000 and €50,000 to repair.

These failure mechanisms underscore why accessories, despite their compact size, harbor a disproportionate share of the operational risk within medium-voltage grids. Yet their role extends well beyond reliability concerns alone, serving as critical enablers of performance, safety, and future-ready grid modernization.

Much like the telecommunications industry before it, the energy sector must now evolve toward real-time visibility, predictive fault detection, and continuous diagnostic intelligence to meet the demands of a modernized grid.

Smart Accessories: From Hidden Weak Links to Strategic Grid Resilience Enablers

To address these vulnerabilities and modernize grid maintenance strategies, accessories are now being elevated into intelligent assets.

Despite their modest size, accessories like joints and connectors are often the weakest links in grid infrastructure. Their vulnerability is compounded by harsh environmental exposure; yet, until recently, they have been treated as passive components.

That’s now changing. As utilities grapple with aging infrastructure and the rising cost of outages, accessories are being redefined as intelligent and predictive assets. Equipped with embedded sensors and connected into digital monitoring platforms, today’s smart accessories enable early fault detection and real-time performance insights, allowing operators to shift from reactive maintenance to proactive grid management.

Utilities adopting these technologies have already reported notable reductions in outage durations, emergency interventions, and overall operational expenditures.

The Technology Powering Smart Accessories

Transforming accessories from passive components into intelligent assets requires a new generation of technologies. These innovations empower operators with real-time visibility capabilities, allowing them to anticipate failures before they occur, rather than respond after the fact.

To meet these evolving expectations, manufacturers are now delivering advanced accessory systems featuring:

• Smart joints, terminations, and connectors equipped with embedded sensors for voltage, temperature, and partial discharge (PD) monitoring
• Predictive dashboards that combine historical data with live grid inputs to flag emerging risks
• Seamless integration with digital twins, mobile diagnostics tools, and SCADA platforms for comprehensive grid visibility.

Together, these technologies are shifting maintenance strategies from reactive interventions to proactive, data-driven grid optimization, enabling faster diagnostics, more accurate root-cause analysis, and fewer unexpected outages.

But what makes these smart accessories possible? At the heart of this transformation are three enabling technologies, powering the shift from passive parts to intelligent, self-monitoring systems:

Real-world impact: how utilities leverage smart accessories

Utilities that embed smart accessories within predictive diagnostics and installation traceability frameworks are achieving tangible performance gains:

• A Nordic operator reduced fault localization times from 48 hours to under six hours, sharply reducing costly emergency interventions and, consequently, OPEX.
• National Grid in the UK deploys partial discharge and thermal sensors in medium- and high-voltage cable systems to reduce unplanned outages and maintain lower SAIDI (National Grid Innovation Report, 2022).
• Alliander (Netherlands) is deploying more than 3,000 Smart Cable Guard systems (recently partnering with Nexans) across its medium-voltage grid to tackle aging infrastructure and outage risk. Field data shows that each unit prevents over 6,000 customer minutes lost annually, with fault localization accurate within 1% of cable length. Following strong results from initial pilots, the rollout supports Alliander’s broader effort to lower SAIFI and SAIDI across a 40,000 km MV network.

 A Strategic Shift in Grid Management

The evolution of accessories from passive components to intelligent assets is reshaping how utilities manage and future-proof their grids. Smart accessories now play a strategic role in boosting reliability, extending component lifespan, and reducing operation costs.

As utilities confront the twin pressures of aging infrastructure and accelerating electrification, these solutions are becoming essential to predictive maintenance and resilient network operation. This marks a broader transformation, from static systems to intelligent, self-monitoring grids.

Nexans is helping lead this industry shift, providing advanced smart accessory systems and end-to-end lifecycle support that enable grid operators to anticipate, monitor, and optimize their networks with unprecedented precision and confidence.

Customer experience starts with skills

In many sectors, performance depends as much on human precision as on technological advancement:

• In aviation, simulation-based training helps crews stay prepared for complex scenarios
• In advanced manufacturing, augmented reality tools guide workers through critical procedures
• In financial services, AI-based coaching improves the quality of client interactions

These approaches reflect a shared belief that strong customer experience comes not only from great products, but from the ability of people to apply them correctly, consistently, and along the whole value chain, from the start to the end. Up-skilling is even more relevant in the energy sector.

The electrification challenge: complexity and consequence

As the global push for decarbonization accelerates, electrification has become the backbone of energy systems. Power networks today must integrate renewable energies and always more decentralized generation, leading to bi-directional flows and intermittent production. In the meantime, electrification and new customer needs are growing (electrical vehicules, heat pumps, AI development and related construction of datacenters, electro intensive industries…).

Grids must therefore be modernized and become Smarter. They also have to become more resilient against extreme weather events. Their vulnerability against human errors during installation has become more critical than ever.

According to ENTSO-E, more than 60 percent of Europe’s grid components are over 40 years old. In this context, the margin for error is shrinking. A single installation mistake can affect reliability, safety, and customer satisfaction, leading to delays, warranty claims, and long-term service costs.

The numbers speak for themselves:

• 400 million euros are lost each year in Europe due to improper installation of cable accessories
• Up to 50% of medium-voltage (MV) cable accessory failures are caused by installation errors
• In the Netherlands, 12.5% of total SAIDI (System Average Interruption Duration Index) minutes are attributed to these issues
  (Source: EA Technology, Jicable 2023 E1-4; Review of Medium-Voltage Asset Failure Investigations, 2018)

These are not design flaws. They are execution problems. And they are preventable.

Training also closes the gap between system design and field reality. In today’s energy infrastructure, it serves three purposes: it transfers critical technical knowledge and workmanship, strengthens accuracy and speed on the ground, and supports a culture of accountability and excellence.

Measurable impact in the field

In recent assessments, teams that completed structured and certifying training programs showed:

• A 58% reduction in Medium Voltage cable accessories failure rates
• A 25% improvement in installation speed
• A customer satisfaction rate of 97%
  (Source: Nexans Internal Impact Study, 2024)

These improvements are not theoretical. They directly affect grid resilience, budget predictability, customer satisfaction and trust.

Training for modernizing and expanding grids

As grids become more complex, training must adapt. This includes at Nexans:

• Hands-on installation practice
• Certification based on practical performance, not just theory
• Partial discharge and AC withstand testing of i samples assembled during training
• Language flexibility and local adaptations
• Programs covering low, medium, and high-voltage applications, including renewables

Training today is not a static classroom experience. It is technical, tailored, and aligned with operational goals. In most cases, it also provides certification that is now increasingly necessary to operate and secure installations in compliance with industry standards.

The example of Nexans Certifying Training Services

In response to growing demand for skilled installation and maintenance teams and to a lack of certified technicians in most countries, Nexans has structured a comprehensive global training program. Delivered worldwide through eight centers located mainly in Africa, Middle East, Asia-Pacific and Europe including France and DOM-TOM, and supported by a dedicated team of 25 trainers and experts all over the world (including the US and Latin Americas), the program is designed to reflect the diversity and complexity of real-world electrification projects.

In 2024 only, over 2,800 professionals took part in training sessions offered in seven languages and tailored to more than 15 voltage levels and accessory types. The curriculum spans low-, medium-, and high-voltage systems, as well as renewable applications, with flexible, on-demand modules to support different phases of a project.

Each session combines technical theory with hands-on practice. For the most demanding applications, installed samples are tested under real conditions using partial discharge and AC withstand protocols, and certification is awarded based on demonstrated results, not just attendance (in France, the certification process is COFRAC accredited).

The success of electrification worldwide depends not only on smart systems, but on the right-skilled people who install and operate them. Training gives those people the skills and confidence they need to deliver reliability, safety and consistency to the grid networks.

Companies that invest in training are doing more than reducing technical risk. They are building trust, reinforcing performance, and redefining what great customer experience looks like. In the race toward a sustainable energy future, human expertise is what brings every connection to life.

As an innovation-driven leader in the electrification sector, Nexans continues to pioneer advanced training and supervision solutions that help build the grids of tomorrow.

Imagine a vast network of invisible or suspended arteries – made of copper, aluminum, and innovation. A network so essential it silently powers our cities, our industries, and our lives.

For decades, these infrastructures have kept pace with urbanization, economic growth, and the transformation of our lifestyles.

And yet, built for a more centralized and predictable world, they must now rise to an unprecedented challenge: adapting to a future that is more electric, more renewable, and more resilient.

How can we modernize these networks – the vital veins of a changing society? What if the answer wasn’t to rebuild everything from scratch, but to better harness what we already have?

Why Existing Grids Must Be Upgraded

Our power grids are silent witnesses to urbanization, economic expansion, and major shifts in how we live. But they were designed for a very different world: one that was centralized, less electrified, and far more predictable.

Today, these infrastructures must meet entirely new demands. They need to absorb the surge in renewable energy, support the rise of electric mobility, adapt to growing self-consumption, and respond to increasing needs for energy flexibility. They also need to become more resilient in the face of increasingly frequent extreme weather events.

Did you know?

• The average age of power grids in Europe and North America often exceeds 40 years.
• The duration of outages caused by these events has increased sixfold over the past ten years.
• The International Energy Agency estimates that the investments required to modernize power grids will reach $600 billion per year by 2030 (source: IEA report “Electricity Grids and Secure Energy Transitions” (october 2023).

Modernizing Without Rebuilding: A Winning Strategy

In this context, should we tear everything down to rebuild it better? Not necessarily. The solution often lies in a leaner, faster, and more sustainable approach: strengthening, optimizing, and adapting what already exists.

This strategy offers many benefits. It shortens implementation times, limits disruptions for local communities, allows better cost control, and reduces the carbon footprint of projects.

How can we modernize efficiently?

Through several technical levers:

• Reinforcing critical cables;
• Integrating smart sensors to detect weaknesses before they cause failures;
• Reconfiguring energy flows to avoid saturation;
• Using recycled or low-carbon materials, such as technical polymers or recovered metals.

Here’s a concrete example: In Europe, several pilot projects have modernized aging sections of the grid without dismantling them:

• Adding connected equipment,
• Predictive maintenance,
• Optimizing existing infrastructure.

The result: more efficient, more resilient networks – without rebuilding from scratch.

Turning Existing Grids Into a Circular Asset

What if our old networks became a resource for the future? Modernizing also means learning how to repurpose what already exists. Copper and aluminum cables can be recovered and reused after treatment, materials reinjected into new projects, and smart control modules installed to extend infrastructure lifespan.

A circular logic that gives grids a second life and supports more responsible electrification.

Key facts to remember:

• 15% of global demand for copper and aluminum may not be met by 2030.
• Material circularity is becoming a priority to reduce the need for new resource extraction.

By giving grids a second life, we help preserve natural resources and reduce the environmental footprint of new infrastructure.

This approach was at the heart of the discussion at ChangeNOW 2025, during a dedicated conference, “Circular Economy – Today’s Waste is Tomorrow’s Growth”, featuring David Grall, VP Sustainability & Corporate Transformation at Nexans, and Xavier Mathieu, VP Metallurgy at Nexans.

They presented concrete solutions to:

• Reduce environmental impact throughout the material lifecycle;
• Fully integrate the circular economy into energy infrastructure.

Doing Better With What We Have

Optimizing without overconsuming. Transforming without rebuilding everything.

That’s the ambition behind a successful energy transition: making our grids more robust, adaptable, and efficient.

In a world where 80% of energy will come from renewable sources by 2050, upgrading our existing infrastructure is a strategic imperative.

This isn’t about giving up on innovation – it’s about applying it where it matters most. It’s about acting now to build a more sustainable future.

In a nutshell

Modernizing our grids means strengthening energy resilience,

Reducing our environmental impact,

And accelerating the transition to an electrified world… without starting from scratch.

Sources:
McKinsey, Eurelectric, AIE + Electric Disturbance Events report
IEA report “Electricity Grids and Secure Energy Transitions” (october 2023)

Imagine a bustling metropolis where data circulates as freely as traffic on its busiest avenues. This is the reality of modern data centers: the beating hearts of our digital economy. They are indispensable, powering everything from your favorite streaming platforms to the AI tools transforming industries.

But beneath the surface, a critical component often goes unnoticed: power cables. These cables are the backbone of data centers, ensuring electricity flows reliably and efficiently to fuel our connected world.

Let’s explore why power cables are far more than utility components. In fact, they are strategic assets shaping the future of our digital society.

Let’s dive deeper.

At the core of this intricate system are three key players ensuring uninterrupted power delivery:

• Low Voltage (LV) cables: These connect various internal equipment, playing a vital role in ensuring smooth operations within the facility.
• Medium Voltage (MV) cables: Essential for linking data centers to main power supplies or backup generators, MV cables handle higher energy loads with reliability.
• High Voltage (HV) cables: Designed for large-scale facilities, HV cables transmit significant power over long distances, maintaining system integrity and performance.

Each cable is meticulously designed to withstand the unique demands of this high-pressure environment – reliability, efficiency, and safety are paramount. And while they might seem like a small piece of the puzzle, their impact is enormous.

Indeed, despite accounting for only about 2% to 2.5% of a data center’s total construction costs, the significance of electrical power cables cannot be overstated. Studies have shown that power-related issues are a leading cause of data center outages, with uninterruptible power supply (UPS) failures being a primary contributor.

The financial implications of such outages are substantial:

• The average cost of unplanned data center downtime is approximately $7,900 per minute, translating to over $690,000 for an average incident lasting 86 minutes.
• Over 60% of data center failures result in at least $100,000 in total losses, with the share of outages costing upwards of $1 million increasing from 11% to 15% between 2019 and 2022.

With cable technology constantly evolving, the latest advancements are revolutionizing data center infrastructure by addressing key challenges such as fire safety, energy efficiency, and sustainability.

Here are Nexans 4 groundbreaking innovations:

1. Low-carbon cables:

Nexans is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by offering low-carbon cables that integrate recycled materials, including up to 50% recycled plastic and low-carbon aluminum, with the ambition of incorporating 30% recycled copper in the cables by 2030.

Nexans’ low-carbon cables achieve a 35% to 50% reduction in emissions compared to standard cables, supporting data centers in achieving their environmental goals.

2. Fire Safety technology:

Data centers house high-density equipment, making fire risks a major concern. Electrical faults or obsolete installations account for over 25% of building fires in Europe, causing €25 billion in damages annually.

To enhance safety and reliability, Nexans provides a Fire Safety range compliant with the most demanding international safety regulations. Nexans’ Low Fire-Hazard cables incorporate technologies to minimize fire spread and the release of corrosive smoke, whereas our Fire-Resistant cables are designed to maintain circuit integrity, ensuring the critical safety systems remain operational under extreme temperatures. 

4. Superconducting cables:

With over 30 years of experience, Nexans’ superconducting solutions provide maximum transmission capacity and efficiency.

Compact yet powerful, these cables are ideal for urban data centers facing space constraints and escalating power demands. They allow grid operators to transfer more power at medium voltage without the need for extensive infrastructure upgrades.

Nexans is at the forefront of these advancements. providing a full spectrum of cables – low, medium, and high voltage – designed to meet the diverse electrical demands of data centers.

A sustainable future, powered by innovation

Power cables are more than just wires.

The role they play in data centers extends far beyond functionality. They are pivotal to ensuring reliability, improving efficiency, and driving sustainability. As data centers evolve to meet the demands of our increasingly digital world, the innovations in cable technology remain a cornerstone of progress.

From fire-resistant designs to low-carbon materials, superconducting technologies, and smart monitoring systems, the innovations shaping cable infrastructure today are setting the stage for a resilient digital future.

At Nexans, we’re proud to empower data centers with cutting-edge solutions that not only meet today’s challenges but also prepare for tomorrow’s opportunities.

Together, we’re building a more connected, sustainable future – one cable at a time.

In the not-too-distant future, you won’t just be driving a vehicle running on electricity when you get behind the wheel, you will be contributing to national energy production!

Or at least that’s the promise of the carmakers, who are already marketing vehicles with bidirectional charging. When you plug in your car for charging, it also becomes a power source for the grid or your home, potentially halving your electricity bill. This technology is already deployed by Tesla in the USA and could be implemented more widely soon, since Renault is working on around fifteen projects of this type in partnership with grid operator Enedis.

​​​​​This is just one of the ways in which energy production is becoming more varied and decentralized, with the transformation of power grids. We could say that this is the end of the traditional model of energy production, based on just one or two producers supplying energy from two or three main sources.

So why do we need to reinvent power grids?

If you hear the term Electricity 4.0, it’s not just another marketing ploy, but a way to underline a break with the past. It relates to the need for more abundant, more efficient and – above all – sustainable energy sources to support ​​​​the fourth industrial revolution, a transformation driven by electric mobility, data centers (cloud computing, data and artificial intelligence) and, first and foremost, the electrification of everything and the digitalization of virtually all areas of activity.

Electricity has all the qualities necessary to address these new challenges. For a clearer understanding, remember that it took 150 years for electricity to meet just one-quarter of our energy requirements, and that we need to reach 60% in just 25 years if we are to meet carbon neutrality targets.

This will involve a 40% increase in electricity demand by 2040, and a six-fold increase in the share of wind and solar power in the energy mix.

This change of scale will require a significant increase in the annual pace of investment in the grid (cables, pylons, transformers, etc.), with figures doubling or tripling compared with the past fifteen years. France, for example, has one of the oldest grids in Europe, with power lines that are 50 years old on average.

Further, renewable electricity is set to dominate the EU electricity sector by 2030. The change is gathering pace, with renewable energies expected to generate 66% of EU electricity by 2030, up from 44% in 2023.

This progress can be achieved only by implementing technological solutions able to fine-tune the balance between production and consumption, and to improve efficiency, security and sustainability.

A profusion of producers

The electricity revolution is all about the multiplication and decentralization of energy production methods.

We have an increasingly complex energy mix, with some countries using energies that are on the way out, like coal and gas, others opting for nuclear power, and – more generally – a growing proportion of hydro, solar and wind power.

At the same time, everybody is free to set up their own installation. This option is now very much a part of everyday life: an increasing number of individuals, SMEs, shopping malls and business corporations are investing in energy production. It is no longer an option reserved solely for major investors: a modest manufacturing firm in southern France can easily meet a third of its electricity needs by installing solar panels.

Between 2022 and 2023 in France, the number of new installations tripled for private customers and doubled for business users. And this is just the beginning, according to Laetitia Brottier, vice-president of Enerplan, the union of solar energy professionals.

Although the complexity of integrating new producers can lead to bottlenecks in grid access, this movement nevertheless plays an essential role in efforts to decarbonize our economies, and it is made possible by the transition towards smart grids.

These new-generation grids enable more agile energy management and make it easier to integrate new decentralized energy production sources, such as wind and solar power. According to a European Union study, optimizing the use of renewable energies through smart grids could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by between 10 and 15%.

Driven by demand

As a result, a completely new approach is taking shape, since energy production can be initiated and adjusted to reflect demand in the field, and in real time.

A multitude of sensors deployed across the chain, from the end user to the power distribution network, will enable live monitoring of power flows and consumption. This will allow for better management of the load, i.e. the maximum power supported by the system, so that switching on different household appliances at the same time will no longer cause a power cut.

In the same way as electrification, energy efficiency has a key role to play in the energy transition, allowing us to turn the heating on before we get home, control the shutters according to light and weather conditions, and so on. Connected objects will turn our homes into ‘energy ecosystems’, adapting appliances to weather conditions, to our activities, and to the price fluctuations announced by electricity suppliers based on their supply costs. This will make it possible to limit soaring household energy bills, while maintaining comfort.

This transformation will be seen not only in households and residential infrastructures but also on plants and industrial sites. It is already increasingly common for production workers and technicians to operate automated, remotely controlled systems (motors, furnaces, assembly lines, etc.), providing the grid with information on current and future energy consumption. Here again, this allows them to take advantage of the lowest possible market prices.

For this reason, manufacturers are innovating continuously to develop systems able to monitor all the components in the electrotechnical chain, such as electrical transformers, cables and connection accessories such as junctions. The purpose of digitalizing power networks is to monitor the activity and load of all these components, to prevent malfunctions and optimize use. Allowing for the measurement of partial discharges also helps to extend the service life of installations. In consequence, the monitoring of electrical infrastructures pursues two main aims: to measure and optimize power consumption, and to increase network reliability and service life.

Will we finally be able to store electricity and avoid wastage?

It is important to remember that production will inevitably exceed demand from time to time. Electricity consumption remains structurally higher in the daytime, on weekdays and in winter. However, solar production is higher in summer, while high pressure systems bring cold snaps and a lack of wind for wind turbines.

This being so, a large-scale transition to sustainable energies is intrinsically linked to storage technologies. These technologies need to demonstrate their efficiency in coping with variations in the production of renewables, when the sun disappears, or the wind is not strong enough. We are referring here not only to batteries, such as those used in electric vehicles, but also to pumped storage power plants. Note that the three main types of renewable energy – water, solar and wind – are highly complementary.

Sébastien Arbola, Executive Vice-President in charge of Flexible Generation & Retail activities at Engie, said: “For every megawatt of renewable energy installed, we will need between 10 and 15% of equivalent capacity in the form of storage.”

This fast-growing market requires new solutions, such as those developed by Nexans, which is contributing to the design of transmission and distribution networks able to collect renewables at source, and to the integration of storage sites on a larger scale, more widely distributed across a given area.

As you can see, electricity 4.0 is far more than just a technological adjustment. With the planet on high alert, managing electricity is fundamental in the transition to cleaner energies. Renewable power plants are one way to reduce our carbon footprint, along with more efficient distribution networks, new energy storage solutions, and interconnections with networks in neighboring countries.

This will also help us to take back control of our energy supply sources. With geopolitical tensions on the rise, this is vital for limiting energy dependency, managing price fluctuations and ensuring grid security.