Pascal Radue is the executive vice president of Nexans S.A.’s Generation and Transmission Business Group. Nexans, a Paris-based, global offshore wind manufacturer specializing in subsea export cables, last month announced that it will lead all its New England operations from the CIC Providence building. This development expands on the partnership established in 2022 between Nexans, Orsted A/S and Eversource Energy in support of the Revolution Wind solar farm project.
PBN: Why did Nexans choose Providence as the base for its New England operations?
RADUE: We are so excited to begin installation on our next project – Revolution Wind – which connects the wind farm with onshore grids in Connecticut and Rhode Island. It makes perfect sense to launch our New England operations in the hub we will be working with closely for the next few years. We are also hopeful to expand operations in the region as more states along the New England coast adopt offshore wind.
PBN: Does Nexans currently work on other offshore wind projects in the Northeast? If so, how many and where?
RADUE: To date, we have successfully completed the cable installation that connects South Fork Wind to the onshore grid in New York. In addition to our work with Revolution Wind, we have a few other projects in the pipeline that we are hoping to announce soon.
Nexans also has a subsea cable manufacturing facility in Charleston, S.C., which is the only one currently in the United States. All of the cables for our Northeast projects are American made.
PBN: How will the new location influence Nexans' work on the Revolution Wind solar farm project?
RADUE: The new location creates a hub for our team to oversee the installation of cables that will connect Revolution Wind with the onshore grid, quickly identify barriers and work with on-the-ground experts to solve problems.
PBN: Beyond the Revolution Wind project, what do you foresee for Nexans' role in Rhode Island and New England's offshore energy or broader blue economy sector?
RADUE: We are excited to see what comes out of the cooperation between the New England states after Revolution is completed and hope to further empower the growth of offshore wind throughout New England.
PBN: How does offshore wind activity or its potential in the Rhode Island area compare to other locations where Nexans operates?
RADUE: Rhode Island was the first state to adopt offshore wind when Block Island began operating in 2016, and the state’s commitment to renewable resources has only continued to grow in the last eight years.
Several governors have signed executive orders that aim to further Rhode Island’s commitment to adopting clean energy and ultimately achieving net zero by 2050. Given the state’s bullish sentiment on the sector, we believe that Rhode Island and the New England coast will become a hub for offshore wind and clean energy in the United States.
Jacquelyn Voghel is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Voghel@PBN.com.
