Sumitomo Electric Industries, together with consortium partner Van Oord, has signed Capacity Reservation Agreement (CRA) with SSEN Transmission, encompassing the supply and installation of a second 525kV HVDC cable link between Shetland and the Scottish mainland.
The signing of the CRA follows the announcement from May 2024 that SSEN Transmisison had selected Sumitomo and Van Oord as preferred bidder for the Shetland 2 project.
The cables will be delivered from Sumitomo’s new manufacturing facility, currently under construction in Nigg, northeast Scotland.
Cables of this type and technology have never previously been manufactured in the U.K., and the Scottish factory is set to become Sumitomo’s flagship for offshore cabling in the U.K. and Europe.
The 150,000m2 site build is progressing in accordance with the anticipated program with piling works nearing completion and factory foundations now well under way.
“We are delighted to have penned this Capacity Reservation Agreement with SSEN Transmission. This is a significant milestone for Sumitomo’s subsea cable factory investment in Scotland. Sumitomo and Van Oord are committed to successful construction of the HVDC link in a safe and timely manner,” said Yasuyuki Shibata – Chair of Sumitomo Electric UK and Europe.
“We are pleased to announce the signing of the Capacity Reservation Agreement with SSEN, representing a significant milestone for the Shetland 2 project. At Van Oord, we take pride in contributing to this initiative with our extensive expertise in cable installation. This agreement underscores our shared commitment to delivering energy infrastructure and enhancing the energy transition,” added Arnoud Kuis – Managing Director ƶijϻ Energy at Van Oord.
Rob McDonald – Managing Director of SSEN Transmission commented: “We are delighted to reach this major milestone with Sumitomo and Van Oord for the Shetland 2 project. It’s great to see the progress being made at Sumitomo’s new cable manufacturing facility and we are extremely proud to be supporting their investment and the major boost to the Highland economy this will unlock.”