Sumitomo subsea cable for first UK-Germany interconnector

Prysmian has awarded Sumitomo Electric Industries with a contract for the supply of 150 kilometers of HVDC submarine cable for the NeuConnect Interconnector between the UK and Germany.

Sumitomo Electric has been appointed as a subcontractor to supply a section of 525 kV HVDC mass impregnated cable to Prysmian PowerLink who secured the main contract for the turnkey design, manufacturing, installation, testing, and commissioning of the 725-kilometer subsea interconnector.

The submarine cable will be manufactured at Sumitomo Electric’s Osaka Works in Japan.

“We are honored to be the supplier for this project, which will form part of critical infrastructures to achieve net-zero emissions,” said Yasuyuki Shibata, managing executive officer of Sumitomo Electric.

NeuConnect is Sumitomo’s sixth European HVDC power link project after MON. ITA (Montenegro-Italy), NEMO (UK-Belgium), A-Nord HVDC project (Germany), Kontek (Germany-Denmark) and Greenlink (Ireland-Great Britain).

The 1.4 GW interconnector is a privately-financed interconnection led by investors Meridiam, Allianz Capital Partners and Kansai Electric Power.

Works will start on site in the UK and Germany later this year, with major construction to lay subsea cables and build substations starting next year.

Financial close for the project was reached last week and commercial operations are expected by 2028.