The European Union has officially recognized the expansion of NKT’s high-voltage power cable factory in Karlskrona, Sweden, as the first European net-zero strategic project under the EU Net-Zero Industry Act.
This designation grants the project national priority status, ensuring accelerated administrative processes and faster permitting. NKT’s significant investment in expanding its factory aims to meet the growing demand for high-voltage offshore power cables and will make the site the largest factory of its kind in the world.
The recognition highlights the critical role subsea power cables play in decarbonizing Europe and improving the interconnection of its power grids, which in turn strengthens the security of supply.
Claes Westerlind, CEO of NKT, commented on the achievement, saying, “We are very proud to achieve this status as the first in Europe for our high-voltage factory in Karlskrona. This is a testimony of our investments and innovations to meet the high demand for power cables and a recognition of the strong ecosystem of offshore and power grid technology in Blekinge and Sweden.”
The factory expansion aligns with the EU’s broader goals of enhancing energy security, grid resilience, and strategic autonomy, as well as improving the competitiveness of the EU’s net-zero industry. The investment is expected to provide additional manufacturing and installation capacity essential for the further expansion and interconnection of the European power grid.
The EU Net-Zero Industry Act is designed to support projects vital to scaling the production of technologies necessary for achieving climate neutrality, with the goal of making the EU climate-neutral by 2050.
