UK’s first plant to build subsea cables opens in Highlands

The UK’s first subsea cable plant in the Scottish Highlands intended to “tackle bottlenecks” in the transmission of electricity has opened.

The factory in the Port of Nigg, near Inverness, was built by Japanese firm Sumitomo to build cables which can carry electricity from wind farms.

The project sits within the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport, which provides companies special tax relief and customs status, and was given £24.5 million in Scottish Government cash.

Sumitomo claims up to 250 direct jobs will be created by the factory’s opening, with more than 400 supported through the wider supply chain.

Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander (middle left) and First Minister John Swinney (middle right) attended the opening of the factory (Sumitomo/PA)

UK Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said the investment will “help continue the legacy” Scotland has for “powering the country”.

“Making subsea cables in Scotland will help us tackle the bottlenecks that block electricity from being transported across the country,” she said.

“We are building out our grid and building British while we do so.”

Scottish First Minister John Swinney, who attended the opening ceremony on Monday, also welcomed the factory, saying: “This facility puts Scotland right at the heart of the energy transition and is a strong vote of confidence in our people, skills and engineering excellence.

“We invested £24.5 million in its construction to support hundreds of well-paid jobs in the Highlands and create lasting opportunities for future generations.

“As the first factory of its kind in the UK, it will help unlock our enormous offshore wind potential while bolstering energy security.

“We will continue to do all we can to create jobs, drive growth and build on Scotland’s position as the UK’s leading destination for inward investment outside London.”

Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander was also in attendance at the opening, adding: “Sumitomo Electric choosing the Highlands for the UK’s first subsea HVDC cable factory shows what Scotland has to offer: the skills, ports and expertise to lead the energy industries of the future.

“Scotland is helping to solve one of the biggest challenges in our transition to clean energy, connecting offshore wind to where it’s needed most. This development is a huge vote of confidence.

“The Port of Nigg is part of the Inverness and Cromarty Green Freeport, funded by £25 million of UK Government seed funding and designed to encourage private sector development.

“I very much welcome this £350 million investment by Sumitomo Electric, and the hundreds of skilled jobs it brings. It shows exactly what growth in every postcode looks like in practice.”

Rob McDonald, the managing director of SSEN Transmission, described the opening as a “landmark moment” for the economy and the energy transmission, while Carl Trowell, the executive president of global capital at the National Grid, said it marked an “important milestone for UK homegrown energy”.

Local Liberal Democrat MP Jamie Stone said the area has a “proud industrial heritage”, adding: “Today’s investment by Sumitomo Electric is a significant step forward. It puts Nigg at the heart of the UK’s transition to renewable energy and offers real potential for our local workforce and supply chain.

“My hope is that this marks the beginning of a new chapter for Nigg, building on its industrial past to secure a future of long-term investment, high-quality jobs and renewed manufacturing ambition for the Highlands.”