COPENHAGEN – November 12, 2026 -- NKT has delivered 525 kV HVDC power cable sections, each longer than five kilometres in continuous length, to TenneT Germany for the tunnel beneath the River Elbe. The cables are part of the SuedLink project.
NKT developed the cable specifically for this section of the route. The company describes it as one of the most demanding cable deliveries in the northern part of SuedLink, which TenneT Germany is executing as transmission system operator.
Five-kilometre sections ruled out conventional cable drums
The sections are far longer than typical onshore power cable lengths, so NKT could not use standard drums. The company built a dedicated logistics chain to move the cable from its high-voltage factory in Karlskrona, Sweden, to the installation site in Germany.
The operation combined cable baskets, marine transport, floating-crane lifts and specialised heavy-load transport on German roads.
Jointless design targets long-term reliability in the tunnel
Thies Helbig, Head of Project Execution Transmission at NKT, called the crossing "a project within the project." He said that eliminating cable joints inside the tunnel enhances the long-term reliability of this critical SuedLink section.
Gunnar Spengel, Program Director for SuedLink at TenneT Germany, said the Elbe crossing is a crucial part of the transmission line. He added that the logistics operation was satisfying to follow.
Cable pulling through the tunnel is the next phase
The delivery clears the way for the next phase of the Elbe crossing. Specialised installation equipment will pull the cables through the tunnel, after which they will be connected to the wider SuedLink power cable system.