Sumitomo Electric has acquired majority shareholding in Südkabel, a renowned German high-voltage cable manufacturer, and the expansion of its production capacity in Mannheim, Germany, to locally manufacture the highest end 525 kV HVDC cables to support the German government’s net-zero initiatives.
In the recent past, German TSO Amprion has awarded two major HVDC cable projects, Korridor B V49 and part of the Rhein-Main-Link project, to Sumitomo Electric as anchor projects to pave the way for a climate neutral energy system in the country.
Also, Sumitomo Electric announced in May the construction of a high-voltage submarine cable factory in the UK. The new cable production facilities in the UK and Germany will make a significant contribution to the decarbonization of Europe.
Korridor B V49 and part of the Rhein-Main-Link project are large-scale projects, and the HVDC cable to be delivered will be manufactured at Südkabel. The signing ceremony for these HVDC projects took place in Berlin on June 5, 2024, along with the signing of a share purchase agreement to acquire 90% of Südkabel’s shares from the Wilms Group.
Amprion and Sumitomo Electric are proceeding with the A-Nord HVDC project connecting a 300 km link between Emden and Osterath near Dusseldorf. The two additional projects will be implemented as part of a long-term strategic collaboration between the two companies.
