Osamu Inoue, President of Sumitomo ElectricIndustries, said:
"I am delighted to celebrate the official opening of our new subsea cable factory in Scotland, following the announcement of its establishment in April 2023 and the groundbreaking ceremony held in May 2024. This factory will serve as a vital production base supporting the strengthening of the UK's transmission infrastructure, the expansion of renewable energy deployment, and the delivery of a stable and reliable energy supply for generations to come. We are confident that the products and technologies manufactured here will contribute to the UK's transition to clean energy and help enhance energy security.
"I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the UK Government, the Scottish Government, our customers, partners, and all those who have provided their invaluable support and cooperation in making this facility a reality.
"Building on more than a century of experience and technological expertise in subsea cable systems, we remain committed to supporting interconnector and offshore wind projects across Europe. By helping connect the energy networks of the future, we will continue contributing to the development of a more sustainable society."
First Ministerof Scotland John Swinney said:
"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."
Secretary of State for Scotland Douglas Alexander said:
"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."
Miatta Fahnbulleh, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero said:
"Scotland has a proud tradition of powering the country, and Sumitomo's multi-million-pound investment will help continue that legacy while boosting the Highlands economy.
"Making subsea cables in Scotland will help us tackle the bottlenecks that block electricity from being transported across the country. We are building out our grid and building British while we do so."
Rob McDonald, Managing Director of SSEN Transmission, said:
"The opening of Sumitomo Electric's new cable manufacturing facility is a landmark moment, not only for Scotland's energy transition but for its economy too - and we're proud of the role our proposed Shetland 2 subsea cable project played as an anchor for this investment.
"The £350m facility, which will create at least 200 jobs and support hundreds more across the wider supply chain, demonstrates the scale of opportunity that comes from investing in the infrastructure needed to deliver clean power and energy security.
"At SSEN Transmission, we're investing around £29bn over the next five years and we think facilities like this are just the beginning. With continued collaboration and greater certainty around future grid investment, planning decisions and the long-term pathway for Scotland's renewable ambitions, there is potential to attract even more investment, skills, and jobs to communities across Scotland and the UK."
Carl Trowell, Executive President of Global Capital at National Grid, said:
"We have established more than £28 billion of UK supply chain contracts to help deliver the infrastructure needed for the energy system of the future, supporting skilled jobs, economic growth and domestic manufacturing. As part of that programme, we have awarded Sumitomo Electric the contract to supply the HVDC cable for Sea Link, and its decision to invest in this facility reflects the confidence that long-term investment can provide. The opening of this facility marks an important milestone for UK home-grown energy and strengthens the capability needed to deliver the next generation of the electricity network."
･27 April 2023
Sumitomo Electric Establishes Power Cable Factory in Scotland, U.K.
https://sumitomoelectric.com/press/2023/04/prs021 ･14 May 2024
Sumitomo Electric commences construction work for its new Subsea Cable factory in Scotland with Preferred Bidder notice received from SSEN Transmission for the Shetland 2 525kV HVDC cable project
https://sumitomoelectric.com/press/2024/05/prs018