NKT, a Denmark-based company specializing in power cable making and installation, said Friday it would sign a joint venture deal with Taiwanese cable company, Walsin Lihwa, to provide technical support for the construction of the first subsea power cable factory in Taiwan.
According to NKT, the factory will produce high- and medium-voltage AC offshore power cables mainly for the Taiwanese offshore wind market, which is expected to grow rapidly in the next decade to drive the green transition of the country.
Aside from establishing a joint venture, the agreement also includes a Service Agreement for the construction of the factory and a Technology License Agreement licensing NKT technology to the joint venture.
NKT will own a share of the joint venture and will act as the technical partner.
NKT also clarified that the construction of the factory would not include CAPEX investments from NKT.
The factory is expected to start operation in 2027. NKT will generate revenue based on a royalty scheme and dividend from the joint venture.
Final constitution of the joint venture is subject to customary regulatory procedures.
“We expect high growth in the Asian market in the coming decades. Taiwan is targeting to install additional 15GW of offshore wind by 2035. The joint venture is an attractive opportunity for NKT from a financial perspective and an opportunity for us to participate in a new, growing market, which is otherwise challenging to serve. It is an important first step for NKT to establish presence in the Asian high- and medium-voltage market and a platform for future growth in the region” says NKT President and CEO, Alexander Kara.
"Taiwan is blessed with an abundance of wind resources, presenting vast commercial opportunities in offshore wind power and submarine cable. Walsin is honored to enter into a win-win partnership with NKT, a world class cable solutions provider with leading technology, to further our clean energy strategy and contribute towards Taiwan’s green energy future" says Yu-Lon Chiao, Chairman of Walsin Lihwa.
Reuters reported on Thursday that European manufacturers were considering investing hundreds of millions of dollars in Vietnam to build wind turbine plants, citing sources familiar with the situation. Read more here.
