NKT has initiated the construction of a new test centre for high-voltage (HV) power cable systems at its Karlskrona factory in Sweden.

This development is said to be a significant step in the ongoing expansion aimed at boosting the factory's production capacity and installation capabilities.

The centre is poised to become one of the world's largest and most advanced facilities for testing both AC and DC power cable technologies, states NKT.

The construction of this centre is expected to meet the demand for HV power cable systems.

The facility is a component of the €1.3bn ($1.4bn) expansion of NKT's HV cable factory in Karlskrona, which also includes the new cable-laying vessel, NKT Eleonora.

Spanning approximately 4,000m², the new centre is set to be fully operational by 2027.

NKT is reinforcing its partnership with suppliers Hitachi Energy and ABB for the current test centre's operations.

Hitachi Energy will provide specially designed shunt reactors while ABB is tasked with delivering a sophisticated drive and control system for the new facility.

Testing reportedly plays a pivotal role in material development, power cable innovations, and manufacturing processes.

NKT says the new test centre will enhance its testing capacity, supporting a wide array of evaluations from material and process development to sample, routine, and after-installation site acceptance tests.

NKT, headquartered in Denmark with a workforce of 6,000, engages in designing, manufacturing, and installing power cable solutions across low-, medium-, and high-voltage ranges, facilitating the sustainable energy transmission.

In December 2024, Skanska signed a contract worth Skr1.2bn with NKT HV Cables for the second phase of construction and installation at the Karlskrona factory.

More recently, in April, Assemblin entered into an agreement with Skanska for installations at NKT’s upcoming extrusion tower in Karlskrona.