French cable systems designer and manufacturer Nexans has set a new world record by installing a 525 kV mass-impregnated (MI) high-voltage direct current (HVDC) subsea cable at a water depth of 3,000 meters.
To remind, in December 2025, Nexans reported that it had set a world record in the subsea cable industry by installing a 500 kV HVDC power cable at a depth of 2,150 meters as part of the Tyrrhenian Link , described as one of Italy’s most significant electrical infrastructures.
The French firm reported today, March 10, that its team had again pushed back the boundaries of technology by setting a new record with the installation and testing of a 525 kV MI HVDC subsea cable technology at a depth of 3,000 meters in a designated offshore area west of Sicily, Italy.
“To put that into perspective, that is roughly seven Empire State Buildings, stacked underwater,” Nexans said.
The cable was tested at 30% above industry standards to ensure maximum reliability in the most extreme conditions, the company reported.