The UK has opened its first subsea high-voltage direct-current cable plant in Scotland, adding manufacturing capacity for links the government says can carry wind power to high-demand areas.
Subsea high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) cables carry electricity beneath the sea over long distances. The government said they can move Scottish wind output to areas of high demand elsewhere in the UK and address a grid bottleneck that forces wind farms to shut down on windy days. It said easing that constraint can cut costs and prevent clean electricity from going unused.
Sumitomo Electric UK's £350 million facility at the Port of Nigg opened Oct. 19, with Secretary of State for Scotland Douglas Alexander participating in the ceremony, the Scotland Office said in an announcement published Oct. 22. The government said the investment is creating 200 jobs and helping protect hundreds of other positions.
The factory gives the UK domestic capacity to manufacture HVDC cables, placing it among G7 nations with that capability, according to the government. Officials also said the site supports the country's commitment to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The Port of Nigg is within the Inverness and Cromarty Green Freeport, which received £25 million in UK government seed funding intended to encourage private investment. The government presented the factory as part of Scotland's contribution to energy manufacturing and infrastructure for national energy security.
Alexander said Scotland's skills and port facilities can help connect offshore wind with places where electricity is needed. He called the investment a “huge vote of confidence.”
Sumitomo Electric Group Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Matsumoto said the company aims to use the factory to strengthen local relationships through job creation, workforce development and sustainability work. He said Sumitomo Electric is committed to supporting the energy transition in the UK and Europe.
