Jan De Nul Completes Installation of Cables for Landmark HVDC Submarine Project in MENA Region
Jan De Nul has successfully installed a portion of cables for a groundbreaking HVDC submarine cable project in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The project aims to connect ADNOC’s offshore operations to TAQA’s onshore power network, marking a significant step towards decarbonizing offshore production operations.
Recently, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC (TAQA) celebrated the financial closing of the $3.8 billion Lightning project, with a projected commissioning date in 2025.
The primary objective of the HVDC link is to transition ADNOC’s offshore power source to a cleaner onshore power supply, thereby reducing CO2 emissions and environmental impact. With a capacity of 3.2 GW, the Lighting project is poised to become the most powerful power-from-shore solution in the MENA region.
Leading the cable installation efforts, Jan De Nul is responsible for the design, installation, burial, and protection of two cable clusters spanning nearly 1,000 kilometres between Al Ghallan and Das islands in the Arabian Gulf. The cables will connect to onshore converter stations at Al Mirfa and Shuweihat in Abu Dhabi, facilitating the transmission of renewable power.
In its 2024 financial report, Jan De Nul announced the successful installation of three 140-kilometre cables, with part of them buried in the seabed and the rest protected by rocks. Additionally, the company laid 23 pipelines on Al Ghallan island to facilitate the cable installation process.
The consortium consisting of Korea Electric Power (KEPCO), Kyushu Electric Power Company (Kyuden), and Électricité de France (EDF) is collaborating with ADNOC and TAQA to build, operate, and transfer the transmission system. The project ownership will eventually be transferred back to ADNOC after 35 years of operation.
Hitachi Energy is contributing four converter stations for the two HVDC links, further solidifying the project’s technological capabilities.