France-based fiber optic cable manufacturing company Nexans has secured a contract worth around €20m ($24.5m) to supply specialised nuclear cables for the Hinkley Point C new nuclear power station in the UK.
As per the terms of the contract, which is valid for six years, Nexans will be responsible for designing and manufacturing 3,000km of cables.
The Hinkley Point C project is being constructed in the Somerset county of the UK.
The nuclear power station will feature two EPR reactors, which will produce 3,200MW of power for the national grid.
It will be able to supply low carbon electricity to around six million homes.
The project will also contribute to the UK’s goal of net zero, and will offset nine million tonnes of CO2 emission every year during the plant’s lifespan of 60 years.
Nexans market segment director for power generation Oliver Dervout said: “We are very excited to be involved in this ground-breaking project for the UK’s nuclear power program. We have already gained considerable experience as a supplier of nuclear-qualified cables for EPR projects worldwide, such as Flamanville (FA3) in France and Taishan in China.”
“Winning the contract for Hinkley Point C confirms our solid reputation in the nuclear segment. The key to our success is the ability to combine technical expertise, high level products and extensive industrial design and manufacturing capability.”
A lot of custom-designed, nuclear-rated cables are being supplied by Nexans for the Hinkley Point C site. These include medium voltage (MV) and low voltage (LV) power, control and instrumentation cables for pumps, valves, safety systems, power supplies and control room monitoring.
The cables will be installed within and outside of the nuclear containment area.
Nexans ENERGEN NUC halogen-free cables, which will be manufactured at the Nexans factory in Mehun-sur-Yèvre, France, will be used to meet the safety standards. These cables comply with the Euroclass requirements for reaction to fire.
