en.Wedoany.com Reported - Scottish transmission system operator SSEN Transmission has signed long-term framework agreements with Sumitomo Electric Industries and Van Oord Offshore Wind UK, covering the engineering, supply, transportation, and installation services for high-voltage direct current (HVDC) submarine cable systems to support future subsea network delivery.

Under the agreements, Sumitomo Electric is responsible for providing engineering, procurement, and supply services for the HVDC cable system, while Van Oord undertakes offshore transportation and installation tasks. The framework agreement aims to support the advancement of future subsea transmission projects within SSEN Transmission's investment plan, with the proposed Shetland 2 project considered one of the first potential projects to be progressed.

The Shetland 2 project will construct a 330-kilometer cable route connecting the Shetland Islands to the Scottish mainland, delivering 2 gigawatts of renewable electricity to the UK grid. This is part of the "Beyond 2030" strategic transmission network plan, under which SSEN Transmission expects to invest a total of £5 billion in northern Scotland by 2035.

Masaki Shirayama, Managing Director of Sumitomo Electric, stated that the company's Scottish facility at the Port of Nigg, along with its operations in Glasgow and the Business and EPC Projects Centre of Excellence, demonstrate its long-term commitment to investing in local engineering capabilities, creating high-value skilled jobs, and enhancing the resilience of the Scottish and UK supply chain. He looks forward to further strengthening cooperation with the SSE Group in the HVDC field through this framework agreement, supporting the transition of Scotland and the UK toward a secure, resilient, and low-carbon energy system.