Sumitomo Electric has announced the acquisition of majority shareholding in Südkabel – a prominent high-voltage cable manufacturer in Germany.
In a release, Sumitomo Electric said that this controlling stake, to be followed by capacity expansion of Südkabel’s Mannheim plant in Germany to make 525kV HVDC cables, will ultimately support Germany’s net-zero initiatives.
German transmission service operator Amprion has awarded two major HVDC cable projects — Korridor B V49 and part of the Rhein-Main-Link project — with a total project value of more than 3 billion euros, to Sumitomo Electric as anchor projects to pave the way for a climate neutral energy system in the country.
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.
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, a release from Sumitomo Electric said.
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 per cent of Südkabel’s shares from the Wilms Group.
Korridor B V49 will connect approximately 300 km between Wilhelmshaven and Hamm, and part of the Rhein Main Link project is approximately 650 km in length. Both projects will form part of Germany’s critical power transmission infrastructure, especially to bring renewable power generated in the North Sea to the country’s major consumer areas. They are expected to be completed by 2033.
Amprion and Sumitomo Electric are currently proceeding with the A-Nord HVDC project connecting a 300 km link between Emden and Osterath near Dusseldorf. The two additional projects — Korridor B V49 and Rhein Main Link (part of) — will be implemented as part of a long-term strategic collaboration between the two companies, Sumitomo Electric said.
Also read: Sumitomo Electric Receives Order For HVDC Cable Project In Japan
Featured photograph shows signing ceremony between Sumitomo Electric and Südkabel
