Nexans has completed the factory acceptance test (FAT) of the 220 kV subsea cable that will connect the Orkney Islands to the UK mainland for the first time, in preparation for offshore installation that will start next year.
The 220 MW Orkney Link, developed by SSEN Transmission, will comprise a new substation being built at Finstown, approximately 14 kilometers of underground cable installed across Orkney to Warebeth, and a 53-kilometer subsea cable laid to Caithness, where it will connect into a new substation at Dounreay.
According to the company, the completion of the FAT testing represents the culmination of more than a year of manufacturing activities at its facility in Halden, Norway.
"With this important manufacturing milestone achieved, project activities continue to progress on several fronts. Nexans' teams are currently advancing onshore cable installation and jointing works in Orkney, while preparations continue for the offshore installation campaign scheduled for 2027," Nexans said.
Nexans started the installation of the underground land cable for the electricity interconnector this September. The installation will be done in phases, beginning in the east and progressing west towards Warebeth, where the cable will connect with the project’s future subsea section.