Nexans secures €1 billion framework agreement for HVDC cables in France

Nexans has secured a major framework agreement, valued above EUR 1 billion, with Réseau de Transport d’Electricité (RTE) for the design, manufacturing, and supply of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables for offshore wind farms in France.

The framework agreement covers the supply, installation, and commissioning of 450 kilometer of HVDC subsea cables and 280 kilometers of HVDC onshore cables to support the connection of three offshore wind farms, the Center Manche 1 & 2 and Oléron, to the French transmission network.

The value of the agreement is above EUR 1 billion, depending on the final quantities to be agreed upon and the subcontractors to be appointed during the next phase leading to the signature of each EPCI contract.

“By delivering state-of-the-art transmission solutions, we are not only supporting France’s ambitious offshore wind targets but also strengthening the resilience and sustainability of the power grid. Nexans remains committed to enabling a more connected and sustainable future, leveraging our expertise to drive forward the large-scale renewable energy projects that will define tomorrow’s energy landscape,” said Christopher Guérin, CEO of Nexans.

The agreement aligns with France’s offshore wind targets of achieving 45 GW of capacity by 2050, according to Nexans.

The Centre Manche 1 (A04) offshore wind farm will be built by Eoliennes en Mer Manche Normandie, a special purpose company of EDF Renouvelables and Canada’s Maple Power.

The developer of the 1.5 GW Centre Manche 2 wind project will be selected in 2025 through the French AO8 tender.

The up to 1.2 GW Ile d’Oléron (AO7) wind farm is planned to be built off the island of Oléron, more than 35 kilometers from the coast, beyond the limits of the Marine Nature Park of the Gironde estuary and the Pertuis Sea.

In August 2024, the French transmission system operator (TSO) RTE awarded a contract to a consortium comprising Hitachi Energy and Chantiers de l’Atlantique for the onshore converter stations and the offshore substations for the three projects.

Currently, France has three operational offshore wind farms, with the most recent addition being the 496 MW Saint-Brieuc project.