Nexans Norway to lay power cable between Hainan and Guangdong Province

The deal is a joint venture between Guangdong Nan-Dian Power Equipment Co. and China Southern Power Grid Corporation, in which Nexans Norway will manufacture and install a cable linking the power grid of Hainan with those of Guangdong and Southern China.

This far, Hainan has been self-sufficient with power, but the expansion of industry and tourist trade at the island implicates a higher consumption of power. The Nexans project of linking Hainan with Guangdong will ensure a more safe, stable and efficient supply of power to the island, and will be the longest power grid in the world once completed. The oilfilled seacable will have a diameter of 800m2, be 30km long and have a capacity of 600MW.

Nexans is one of the leading cable manufacturers in the world, and due to the exceptional long length and high voltage of the cable, it is one of only a select few companies worldwide that have the experience and technology to pull it off. It will be installed by Nexans’ own cable ship, the Skagerrak, and will employ several of Nexans own technologies, among them the Capjet and Spider, robots clearing the seabed and digging the cable into it.

The Hainan project has also led to Nexans gaining a broader business network in Southern China, getting a contract for the installation of three oil pipelines for CNOOC in 2007. 

This project is an excellent example of how specialised Norwegian technology contributes to the further development of South China, says Consul General Tormod C. Endresen. To make, install and operate cables, pipe-lines and other sub sea installations on the sea floor is a Norwegian specialty, much thanks to experience gained from our exploration of oil and gas under harsh conditions off the Norwegian coast. Norway also has a world leading expertise from our history of installing submarine powercables across the Norwegian fjords, adds the Consul General.

The project has an estimated completion date in the July 2009.