Nexans awarded landmark wave energy contract in United States

Nexans has been awarded the contract for PacWave South, the United States’ first grid-connected wave energy test facility developed jointly by the US Department of Energy, the State of Oregon, and Oregon State University. PacWave will facilitate the research of innovative renewable technologies.

This major project is a significant step in the American sustainable energy transition and will further solidify Nexans’ position as a pure player in sustainable electrification.

PacWave South consists of four berths that capture the energy generated from the movement of waves and each berth will produce up to 5MW of energy. RT Casey LLC has selected Nexans for the design, engineering and manufacturing of the 36kV submarine and terrestrial cables that will run across the ocean floor; Nexans will provide the four medium voltage AC (MVAC) cables that bring the energy from the berths to shore. The cable lengths total 80km or roughly 20km per cable. This project serves as a pilot to test an alternative form of energy generation that is renewable and minimally invasive to the environment.

Expected to be built and energized by 2024, this major project is a significant step in the American sustainable energy transition and an important milestone in Nexans’ strategy of becoming an organization dedicated to innovation and sustainable electrification. Nexans’ Generation and Transmission business is now present in all the generation of energy from the ocean including offshore wind, floating wind, floating solar and now wave energy. The Group continues to implement this strategy by working on projects like the PacWave South facility, demonstrating its expertise and strengthening its position as a leader and an electrification pure player.