Nexans has completed the manufacturing and factory acceptance testing (FAT) of 100 kilometers of subsea cable for the second electrical interconnector between Malta and Italy, with the cable now ready for load-out and installation.
The IC2 interconnector will consist of a new 122-kilometer-long, 225 MW HVAC electrical cable interconnection between the Terna substation at Ragusa, Sicily, and the Enemalta terminal station in Maghtab, to be laid in parallel to the existing HVAC cable link , which Nexans also delivered in 2015.
For this second interconnector, Nexans’ scope covers the design, manufacturing and delivery of 100 kilometers of subsea cable, together with 4 kilometers of spare cable. According to the company, the FAT was completed just over 13 months after the contract was signed, in line with the project’s execution schedule.
Building on the experience gained from installing IC1, the second interconnector cable will be installed using deep burial techniques, including Nexans’ Capjet system, to provide additional protection.
“With the cable now ready for installation, this project moves a step closer to increasing the interconnection capacity available to Malta’s electricity system,” said Pascal Radue , Senior Executive Vice President PWR-Transmission at Nexans.
“This milestone reflects our ability to deliver complex subsea interconnector projects at pace while maintaining the highest standards of quality and reliability. We are proud to continue supporting Malta’s energy security and transition through our long-standing partnership with Interconnect Malta.”
To remind, the manufacturing of key equipment for the interconnector was recently completed in Türkiye , after which it was shipped to Malta and Sicily.