Nexans gears up modernised US offshore wind cable factory for lead-off Orsted delivery
Contractor to deliver some 110km of high voltage lines from its upgraded South Carolina plant for 132MW South Fork project, expected to start up off New York state in 2023
France’s Nexans has won a contract from the Orsted-Eversource Energy joint venture to manufacture the high voltage (HV) subsea cables for the developers’ 132MW South Fork project offshore wind project off the state New York in the US Atlantic.
The contractor will deliver some 110km (68 miles) of three-phase 138kV high voltage alternating current (HVAC) lines out of its plant in South Carolina for the project, located 55km off Montauk Point in the south of the state, to transport produced power to flow into the onshore grid at Long Island.
The contract is the first under a framework supply agreement for up to 1,000km of underwater HV cables in the US by 2027 agreed between Nexans and Orsted Wind Power North America, which has multiple projects along the US east coast from Maryland to Massachusetts, some with joint venture partners, that will need export cables.
“The project represents a great opportunity for Nexans to support the US’ burgeoning offshore wind sector, which is providing better energy security, driving economic development, improving energy price stability, and contributing to the fight against climate change,” said Ragnhild Katteland, Nexans’ executive vice president for subsea and land systems.
Orsted and Eversource expect to begin construction of South Fork this month with commercial operation starting up in December 2023.