2 minute read - 2nd May 2023
Sumitomo Electric to build cable factory in Scotland
Japanese firm Sumitomo Electric Industries has announced plans to establish a subsea power cable factory in the Scottish Highlands to capture the increasing demand for high-end cables in the region. The exact location and investment has not yet been revealed.
Sumitomo Electric has a proven track record of delivering power cables for offshore wind power projects around the world including the UK, Germany, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan’s first commercial offshore wind farms at Akita and Noshiro. The new site will supply cables for offshore wind farms and further grid connections, which are indispensable for the introduction of renewable energies to the country’s electricity transmission systems.
Sumitomo Electric is to build a new power cable factory to support the growth of the offshore wind energy sector / Picture: Getty/iStock
Neil Gray, Scottish cabinet secretary for wellbeing economy, fair work and energy, said: “I am absolutely delighted that Sumitomo Electric will be coming to Scotland. This significant announcement demonstrates the strength of confidence investors have in our vision for a net zero economy. Sumitomo Electric has a proven track record in renewables technology that will be invaluable to supporting Scotland’s rapidly expanding offshore wind sector, with ambitions for more than 27 GW of generating capacity to be delivered through ScotWind. The Scottish Government, Scottish Development International, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise will continue to work closely with Sumitomo Electric to foster this important partnership and unlock the opportunities the global renewables revolution presents.”
Osamu Inoue, president & COO of Sumitomo Electric, said: “We are delighted to work with the cabinet secretary to build a state-of-the-art submarine cable factory in Scotland. Sumitomo Electric is a technology leader in the industry with a 100-year history of submarine cable production, a solid track record, and high quality standards. Sumitomo Electric has the technologies necessary for the development of a green society and will work with the Scottish and UK governments and other stakeholders on future offshore wind power and interconnector projects in the region.”
In 2019, Sumitomo Electric delivered its high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cross-linked polyethylene-insulated (XLPE) submarine cable system for the UK-Belgium interconnector (NEMO Link) and successfully completed the installation. The 400 kV HVDC XLPE cable system is the industry’s highest voltage in commercial operation even today. This technical excellence has led Sumitomo Electric to win multiple contracts in the global market, including a project connecting the UK and Ireland (Greenlink Interconnector) and a project in Germany (Corridor A-Nord).