NKT Begins Installation of SuedLink HVDC Cables
NKT has initiated the installation of a 518-kilometer high-voltage direct current (HVDC) power cable system for the SuedLink project, managed by TenneT. This significant infrastructure will connect renewable energy sources in northern Germany with industrial areas in the south.
The 525kV cables are a crucial part of Germany’s Energiewende strategy, aimed at transitioning to sustainable energy. The project, estimated to cost around $11 billion, marks a major step towards enhancing Germany's energy supply stability and sustainability.
Tim Meyerjürgens, TenneT's Chief Operations Officer, highlighted the project's progress by stating that the installation of the first 37 kilometers along the 700-kilometer route signifies that SuedLink is now visibly under construction.
NKT's contribution includes two sections of power cables and related accessories, forming one of the dual systems ordered by TenneT and Transnet BW. A custom-engineered solution will allow the cable to navigate challenging terrains such as the Elbe River and a salt mine.
Once completed, SuedLink will be one of the longest underground HVDC power cable links globally, with a capacity of 2x2GW. It will transport energy from wind farms and hydropower sourced from Norway through the NordLink interconnector, which was completed in 2021 using similar technology from NKT.
The entire SuedLink corridor is expected to be operational by 2028. Lukas Sidler, NKT's Executive Vice-President and Head of HV Solutions Cologne, emphasized the project's importance in supporting Germany's renewable energy transition and expressed pride in executing this historic project for TenneT.
In addition to this project, NKT recently secured a framework agreement with Enexis Netbeheer, a Dutch distribution system operator, to supply medium-voltage power cables as of October 2024.
