Nexans signs two memorandums of understanding with the Moroccan government for a new cable plant in Morocco

• Two agreements have been signed with Morocco’s Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Ministry of Investment, Convergence and Evaluation of Public Policies, National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE), and Moroccan Investment and Export Development Agency (AMDIE) to build a new medium-voltage cable plant in the country involving a total investment of €100 million, by 2026.
• With the goal of supporting the energy transition in Morocco and Africa, the project is expected to create more than 200 direct jobs.

Nexans and the Moroccan Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Ministry of Investment, Convergence and Evaluation of Public Policies, the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) and the Moroccan Investment and Export Development Agency (AMDIE), signed two agreements involving a €100 million as a total investment plan to build the company’s third plant for medium-voltage cable in Morocco by 2026, in addition to its facilities in Casablanca and Mohammedia.

Strengthening Nexans’ commitment to the energy transition in Morocco and across Africa, the project is expected to create more than 200 direct jobs and will benefit from the backing of the Moroccan Ministries, the ONEE and the AMDIE. Moreover, it will meet the Group’s standards of excellence, in line with its Industry 4.0 digitalization and sustainability goals, and will deliver cables to Africa.

This project is aligned with the High Instructions of His Majesty, King Mohammed VI. Currently a leader in the region and across Africa in the deployment of renewable energy infrastructure, Morocco aims to consolidate the entire industrial ecosystem in the years to come. Through this transformative project, Morocco and Nexans are working together to strengthen the development of the renewable energy industry value chain in the Kingdom and to promote technical advancement in the local industrial fabric.

• Nexans has signed a capacity reservation agreement with Scottish transmission owner SSEN Transmission to supply and install approximately 100 km of 220 kV high-voltage cables, both onshore and offshore.
• These cables will provide a transmission connection from Orkney to the Scottish mainland at Dounreay on the north coast of Scotland.
• The Orkney Islands represent a major source of renewable electricity potential, and its connection to the mainland will help decarbonize the UK’s electricity production.

Nexans, a leader in the design and manufacturing of cable systems and services, announces that it has been selected by SSEN Transmission to supply and install the high-voltage cables that will provide a transmission link from Orkney to Dounreay in the Scottish Highlands. A capacity reservation agreement has been signed between both parties and Nexans has committed to reserve manufacturing and installation capacity for a significant contract to be signed in 2024.

An essential project for the renewable energy transition in the UK

In recent years, the Orkney Islands have made significant investments to develop the generation of electricity from renewable sources. Existing and planned renewable energy projects on the islands will generate more electricity than can be consumed or exported with the existing grid infrastructure. With this increased generation capacity due to come online in the coming years, connecting Orkney to the Scottish transmission network has become a necessity to be able to export this renewable electricity and increase the proportion of low-carbon electricity in the UK.

The 220 kV AC subsea and land cables supplied by Nexans will play a decisive role in the energy transition in the UK, illustrating the Group’s commitment to the electrification of the world.

A decisive partnership with SSEN Transmission

This success demonstrates the quality of the solutions provided by Nexans and the technical expertise of its teams, whose collaboration with SSEN Transmission over the last few years has been of the highest quality. The agreement is an important step in our partnership with SSEN Transmission, which will continue until the official signing of the contract in the second quarter of 2024.

This agreement will enable Nexans to further expand its presence in the UK and confirms its ambition to build strong relationships worldwide with strategic companies such as SSEN Transmission, a major player in electrification.

Nexans announces today the completion of the sale of its Telecom Systems business, rebranded to Aginode, to Syntagma Capital, a Belgium-based private equity fund.

This transaction marks a final step in Nexans’ exit from the telecom and data activity in line with its strategy to simplify its activities to amplify its impact in Electrification markets.

• Nexans production facilities in Montreal (Canada) and Lens (France) have been awarded the Copper Mark in recognition of responsible and sustainable copper rod production practices.
• The Copper Mark works with partners to help increase the amount of responsibly produced and sourced copper around the world.
• This recognition highlights Nexans’ overall commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as well as the Group’s initiatives to be on the forefront regarding crucial issues such as copper responsible production.

Nexans, a leader in the design and manufacturing of cable systems and services, announced today that its Montreal (Canada) and Lens (France) metallurgy facilities have been awarded The Copper Mark.

This recognition demonstrates Nexans’ contribution to sustainable development and provides a comprehensive social and environmental assurance program for copper rod production. Nexans is one of the first cable manufacturers and rod mill operators to receive this award in North America and Europe.

Nexans’ Montreal and Lens sites obtained the Copper Mark label following a site-level evaluation conducted by independent audit firms. Both sites have been assessed against the 32 internationally recognized sustainability criteria including environmental, social, and governance standards.

Copper is a crucial part of the renewable energy transition as it is a primary component in electrification. As countries attempt to reach net-zero goals, copper demand is expected to soar in the future. Nexans’ responsibility is to make sure this increasing demand will be met according to responsible production practices. The Copper Mark recognition fully highlights Nexans’ position at the forefront of the sustainable electrification of the world. The Group has been a member of the UN Global Compact since 2008 and has been including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) priorities since then.

Nexans will soon launch the same process in order to seek to obtain the Copper Mark label for its two other rod mill facilities in Peru and Chile.

The OPHELIA research project aims to promote the development of linear photovoltaic power plants by installing solar panels on long, narrow land surfaces (running alongside dikes, roads, railways, etc.). Selected in 2023 as the winner of the “DEMO TASE” call for proposals launched by the French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME), and developed by five partners (CNR, Nexans, Schneider Electric, SNCF, and SuperGrid Institute), OPHELIA is a research project focused on the electrical architecture of linear photovoltaic power plants and their integration into the built environment.

A solar canopy demonstrator will be deployed over a near-900-meter section of the ViaRhôna—a cycling route following the Rhône River—in the Vaucluse department by 2028.

Set to showcase a truly disruptive technology, the OPHELIA project will help accelerate regional photovoltaic development without creating any land-use conflicts, as it will make use of linear land that has already been developed.

Representing an investment of over €20 million, the OPHELIA project is funded by the French State as part of the France 2030 investment plan—executed by ADEME—and holds labels awarded by the Tenerrdis and i-Trans industrial clusters.

Disruptive technology developed for long-distance power transmission

In line with two of the photovoltaic industry’s goals, the OPHELIA project aims to exploit linear land running alongside existing infrastructure and reduce long cable-related electrical losses by developing technological building blocks that make it possible to replace alternating current with medium-voltage direct current (MVDC).

OPHELIA is an innovative R&D project comprising electrical architecture design, prototype production, and on-site testing, and involving five partners—CNR (the project coordinator), Nexans, Schneider Electric, SNCF, and SuperGrid Institute.

Demonstrator characteristics

The demonstrator will consist of a series of three solar canopies, installed over around 900 meters of the ViaRhôna cycling route—which follows the Rhône River—in Caderousse in the Vaucluse department. Expected to have an installed capacity of around 900 kWp (generating enough electricity to meet the annual needs of approximately 700 people), the demonstrator will comprise 30 solar canopy structures. The panels will be angled toward the east and the west, forming a roof.

The partners involved in the project will be given the opportunity to design and conduct on-site testing of an electrical architecture and all the equipment required to transmit MVDC electricity from the point of production to the point of delivery.

The construction and testing phases are scheduled to take place between 2025 and 2028, following three years of engineering design studies, R&D, and prototype development.

An innovation-focused project supported by the French State and executed by ADEME

The OPHELIA project was selected as the winner of the “Technologies Avancées pour les Systèmes Énergétiques : DEMO TASE” call for proposals launched by ADEME in 2022.

Representing a total investment of over €20 million, the project is co-funded by the French State (contributing around 40% of funding) as part of the France 2030 investment plan, which is being executed by ADEME in a bid to enhance the country’s industrial competitiveness and future technology development.

This funding is key to supporting the partners involved in developing this large-scale R&D project. OPHELIA has also been awarded labels by the Tenerrdis and i-Trans industrial clusters.

• Nexans is investing in a new cutting-edge cable laying vessel to support a record project backlog and meet future needs in a booming offshore wind and interconnection market.
• This unique and pioneering vessel builds on the capabilities of the Nexans Aurora, with an enhanced loading capacity and the ability to lay four cables simultaneously.
• This vessel will be delivered in 2026.

Nexans, a world leader in the cable system design, manufacturing and services, has announced an expansion in its presence in the offshore wind and interconnection market, by adding a third cable laying vessel to its fleet.

This strategic decision will allow the Group to meet the increasing demand for electrification, especially in the American and European markets, driven by a record project backlog and recently strengthened by the historic €1.7 billion contract with TenneT, and €1.43 billion contract for Great Sea Interconnector project.

This new strategic asset will also directly and indirectly create hundreds of jobs worldwide during its construction and operational period.

A new ship with unprecedented capabilities

Building upon the cutting-edge technology featured on Nexans’ flagship vessel, the Nexans Aurora, this new ship goes further with improved design, comfort and capabilities. Equipped with three turntables, offering a 13,500-tonne loading capacity, and hosting a large range of subsea tooling including jetting and ploughing tools, this vessel will be capable of laying up to four cables simultaneously to meet specific customer requirements, especially on large-scale projects.

By adding this vessel to its fleet, Nexans is also enhancing its versatility and flexibility covering a widening geographical footprint.

From an environmental standpoint, the new vessel with its increased load capacity, an advanced hybrid power system and capable of running on biodiesel mix, will offer a significant reduced footprint, reflecting the Group’s strategic environmental vision.

• Nexans is awarded the turnkey contract for the section of the Great Sea Interconnector that connects Greece and Cyprus.
• The interconnector will deliver up to 2,000 MW of energy to Europe and will be the largest interconnector project in history, supplying over 3 million homes with electricity.
• This major contract, valued at €1.43 billion, sets multiple records including the longest and deepest cables ever laid, each with a length of 900 km that will be supplied and installed by Nexans Aurora and Nexans Skagerrak cable laying vessels, and run across the Mediterranean Sea floor at depths of over 3,000 meters.
• Through a variety of ongoing global projects, Nexans is pushing the boundaries of its strategy and the Great Sea Interconnector will be a game-changing step in the energy transition.

In a historic first, Nexans, a world leader in the design and manufacturing of cable systems and services, has been awarded the major contract valued at €1.43 billion for the section of the Great Sea Interconnector that connects Greece and Cyprus. As a critical part of a broader project to connect the grids of Greece, Israel, and Cyprus, the 525kV high voltage direct current (HVDC) cable will be the longest and deepest interconnector in the world with a bi-pole length of 2×900 km, and will run across the Mediterranean Sea floor at depths of over 3,000 meters. Subsea HVDC Mass Impregnated cables will be manufactured in Nexans’ facilities in Halden (Norway) and Futtsu (Japan) and will be installed by the state-of-the-art cable laying vessels Nexans Aurora and Nexans Skagerrak.

The Great Sea Interconnector will exchange up to 1,000 MW among the three nations with the capability of increasing to 2,000 MW, the equivalent to 3 million households’ average electricity consumption, and will end the energy isolation of Cyprus by creating an energy highway between Europe and Asia. Pole One is expected to be completed in 2028 and Pole Two in 2029.

The interconnector has been designated as a Project of Common Interest (PCI) by the European Union which will allow the project to benefit from accelerated planning and permitting, lower administrative costs, and public participation. To qualify as a PCI, a project must also contribute to the European Union’s energy and climate goals, and as a result, much of the electricity being shared will be from renewable and decarbonized sources.

IPTO, Transmission System Operator of Greece, has been providing technical and operational capacity to the project ensuring the successful implementation.

The parties expect formal clearance of the Greek and Cypriot energy regulators to intervene in due course.

Nexans is pushing the boundaries of its strategy and keeps expanding into new and important markets, as it is the case with Nexans’ recent awards including the 2GW Frame Agreement with TenneT with breakthrough 525 kV offshore cable technology and the Celtic Interconnector connecting France and Ireland. The Group is leading the way in connecting parts of the world with the highest renewable energy potential to locations with the greatest demand for electricity. From energy generation and transmission to distribution and usage, Nexans’ solutions cover the full electrification value chain to connect the world’s renewable energy sources and ensure electricity can be delivered to all corners of the world securely, reliably and efficiently.

• Nexans launches a new high-voltage cable range for aircraft that aligns with aerospace industry requirements to be carbon neutral by 2050.
• The new cable range has a higher power density, with partial discharge free operation over a wide range of voltages and altitudes.
• As part of the “Clean Aviation” partnership, Nexans will play a significant role in reaching the program’s energy efficiency and emissions goals, leading to a potential reduction of up 90% in emissions varying by the type of aircraft.

Nexans, a leader in the design and manufacturing of cable systems and services, has launched a new high-voltage cable range for aircraft. With an efficiency higher than the previous generation, this cable family is a decisive step to reaching the carbon neutral objective in the aerospace industry by 2050.

The need to consume less fuel is rapidly growing, driving the aerospace industry to change mobility technologies to alternative hybrid-electric aircraft. To support the next generation of aircraft, Nexans new high-voltage cables allow for a higher level of power without increasing the conductor’s diameter and weight.

Previewed at the Paris Air Show, Nexans new high-voltage cables for electrical and hybrid aircraft, and E-VTOL (Electrical Vertical Take-Off and Landing Vehicules) fit the requests from the Aerospace industry to reduce its carbon footprint, and the agenda of the French governement and the European commission to develop an innovative solution to integrate electrical and hybrid engines in aircraft.

Nexans high-voltage cables are 20 times more efficient than standard aircraft cables. They can be used from 600V to 6,000V (AC, DC, PWM) when the standard aircraft voltages are ranging from 28V DC to 115V or 230 AC. They have higher power density (power/mass), using a patented design with semi-conductive and high resistivity layers which are extruded as sandwich layers. This guarantees a partial discharge free operation over a wide range of voltages and altitudes. A partial discharge is an electrical discharge that partially bridges a gap between a high-voltage conductor and a low-voltage conductor. Partial discharge causes degradation and can lead to system breakdown.

As part of the “Clean Aviation” partnership, Nexans will play a significant role in reaching the program’s energy efficiency and emissions goals, leading to a potential reduction of up 90% in emissions varying by the type of aircraft.

Nexans’ high voltage cables will be produced at its Draveil site in France, which employs 260 people.

• Nexans awarded frame agreement by TenneT for turnkey high voltage direct current projects for offshore wind farms.
• The agreement includes an initial commitment for three grid connection projects of an initial value of 1.7bn EUR for cables and installation only.
• These projects will contribute to the acceleration of Germany’s energy transition and further increase energy security in Europe; they will be operational between 2029 and 2031.
• Nexans, through its innovative 525 kV subsea cable system, will provide a total of 6 GW of energy from the North Sea to Germany.

Nexans, a leader in the design and manufacturing of cable systems and services, has been awarded a frame agreement by TenneT, the Transmission System Operator (TSO) for the Netherlands and a significant part of Germany.

Under this frame, Nexans will be responsible for three grid projects, connecting the future offshore wind farms BalWin 3, LanWin 4, LanWin 2, in the German North Sea to main land. The initial value is 1.7bn EUR, with major subcontracted works to be added once the project-specific call-offs are signed.

Nexans will be responsible for the full Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Installation – including civil works (EPCI) of over 2,160 km of subsea and land cables.

In 2022, Nexans made a major step forward with the successful development and testing of the first 525 kV DC cable with key features to enable a substantial increase in transmission capacity. The awarded projects are the first in which the Nexans group is deploying its breakthrough 525 kV offshore cable technology, specifically designed to support the energy transition. The subsea cables will be manufactured at Nexans’ flagship factory in Halden, Norway.

After the successful completion of the DolWin 6 project and the award of the BorWin 6 project in 2022, the frame agreement continues Nexans’ long-term partnership with TenneT, contributing to the acceleration of Germany’s energy transition. It confirms that Nexans is a reliable partner to support the energy transition and reduce net GHG emissions to meet the carbon neutrality targets set at COP21.

Nexans’ commitment to sustainability, focus on electrification, development of innovative technologies dedicated to HVDC projects, and investments in new production capacity, vessels and subsea cable protection tools, position the Group as a major player of the energy transition.

• The first range of low-carbon power grid cables available on the French market guarantees a minimum 35% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to standard cables.
• This offer is built on the guaranteed use of low-carbon aluminium and recycled plastic, as well as the use of renewable or decarbonised energies in manufacturing the cables. Products are 100% manufactured in France.
• Access to the CO2 data of these cables is guaranteed so that all the players in the chain can monitor and optimise their carbon emissions.

Nexans is launching a new range of low-carbon distribution grid cables, the first on the French market. By adopting a holistic approach all along the value chain and throughout the cable life cycle, the Group has succeeded in reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of its low- and medium-voltage cables from 35% to 50%, depending on the products.

The Group’s ambition: to reduce the cable industry’s carbon footprint…

The manufacturing of one kilometer of energy network cable currently generates a volume of CO2 representing two to three times the average annual emissions per inhabitant in France. These emissions come mainly from the aluminium conductor, which alone accounts for between 70% and 90% of the total footprint, followed by plastics, transport and the manufacturing process.

In order to reduce the carbon footprint of its products by more than one-third, Nexans acts-on:

• The guaranteed use of 100% low-carbon aluminium (produced during the electrolysis phase, using decarbonised electricity), in line with the objectives of the Aluminium Forward 2030 coalition of which the Group is part, and which is aimed at speeding up the sector’s decarbonisation;
• The use of up to 50% recycled plastic in the insulation and/or sheathing;
• Targeted actions on the manufacturing process and transport;
• Increased selectivity in the choice of suppliers based on their environmental performance;
• 100% French production at its plants in Jeumont and Bourg-en-Bresse.

A further advantage lies in the fact that Nexans provides all the environmental data for its products (PEP Ecopassport®) to enable power distribution operators, installers and distributors to manage their carbon emissions. On request, the Group also performs a carbon assessment per project or per customer.

… and over the entire life cycle of a cable

The environmental footprint of a cable is also measured beyond its manufacturing. Approximately 90% of the total emissions from grid cables are generated after they are put into service, due to the energy loss, known as the “Joule effect”, which accumulates over decades of use.

In line with its E3 ambition (Economy, Environment, Engagement), Nexans offers a range of solutions to reduce the carbon footprint of the cable over its entire life cycle:

• Engineering studies to determine the optimal cable type and cross-sections over the entire life cycle depending on the application;
• Innovative cable solutions, such as the EDRMAX® medium voltage cable, which can be buried as is, with no need for a sand bed, thanks to its reinforced sheath – thus reducing the CO2 emissions stemming from its installation by 10%;
• Digital solutions to increase our customers’ productivity: the ULTRACKER® range;
• Innovative technology via RecyCâbles (joint venture between Nexans and SUEZ) for the recycling copper and aluminum cables, promoting the circular economy.

Nexans’ new low-carbon power network cable offering illustrates Nexans’ capacity for innovation and its strong commitment to sustainable development, as the Group is recognized as a global leader in climate action by several extra-financial assessment bodies. This first offer is part of an ambitious Nexans carbon trajectory, validated by the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), aimed at reducing emissions by 4.2% per year between 2019 and 2030.