Canada: Nexans EHV cable to connect Grand Bend Wind Farm

More renewable energy will flow to communities in the Canadian province of Ontario through a multi-million Canadian dollar cable connection to be provided by Nexans, in conjunction with project partners Black & McDonald, the electrical services contractor, and AMEC Foster Wheeler, the leading global Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) firm.

Northland Power is constructing the Grand Bend Wind Farm, consisting of 2,428 hectares hugging the eastern shore of Lake Huron and providing 100 MW of total generation capacity. This facility is expected to be operational in 2016 to supply a clean, renewable source of energy generation that will help improve Ontario’s air quality. The Grand Bend project has been awarded a contract by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) under its Feed-in Tariff (FIT) Program, in which the OPA agrees to buy renewable energy generated by eligible projects at fixed prices under long term contracts.

Nexans’ specialized facility in South Carolina will design, develop and manufacture 105 km of Extra High Voltage (EHV) power cable to connect the new wind farm to Canada’s power grid. The XLPE cable, rated at 230 kV, will provide the connection between the wind farm substation and the local utility (Hydro One) substation.

“This is a major win for our newest High-Voltage manufacturing facility in South Carolina. This project demonstrates our ability to provide the highest quality product needed in today’s growing energy market,” says Safiq Virani, Nexans Director Sales and Marketing, Land High Voltage North America.

“This is a pivotal accomplishment for Nexans. This project was worked on for over seven years, with a global team from Canada, the USA and Germany.  We are proud of our people and the trust our clients put in our teams,” comments Dirk Steinbrink, Senior Executive Vice President High Voltage & Underwater Cable Business.

Not only will the Grand Bend project provide power to more than 30,000 homes, it is also a commitment to sustainability as a joint project between Northland Power, the Aamjiwannang First Nation of Sarnia, and the Bkejwanong First Nation at Walpole.