Nexans

RWE and Nexans form exclusive joint agreement

to promote the superconductor system concept and supply more energy to densely populated urban areas

Nexans, RWE Deutschland AG and RWE Netzservice GmbH signed an agreement to work together exclusively to market and sell the superconductor system concept in Germany and other countries.

The offered system is a cost-effective and innovative solution to meet the rising demand for electricity in densely populated urban centres areas using superconducting power equipment. Supplying electricity with the superconductor cable system means that large high-voltage substations can be taken out of the city centre and be replaced with compact medium-voltage systems. This frees up space close to the city centre from high-voltage lines and large substations, so that they can be used for other purposes as part of urban development.

Compared with conventional solutions, the superconductor cable also requires much less installation space. This means that large-scale and extremely expensive civil works in the city centre are not required. If more widespread use is made of this innovative concept, the total number of substations can also be reduced. The superconductor cable can carry the same current as five conventional cables operating at the same voltage installed in parallel, and does so almost loss-free.

The superconductor technology required for this purpose has been developed and industrialised by Nexans over the last 15 years. It has already been successfully tested in different projects and is now in commercial use.
Background of this joint agreement between Nexans and RWE is the common project "AmpaCity”, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The stated aim of RWE and Nexans is to utilise the technological knowledge learned from ongoing research and development projects and to advance the experience gathered in the context of customer projects in order to thereby optimise the superconductor system as a whole.

"We have shown that the superconductor system concept is an innovative technology that has proven its practicality and suitability for daily use. From an economic perspective too, the superconductor can also represent a genuine alternative to conventional grid expansion. RWE and Nexans combine the necessary areas of expertise and experience to offer customers a suitable solution portfolio. These customers may require anything from a customised feasibility study right up to an entire superconductor system,” says Klaus Engelbertz, Managing Director of RWE Netzservice GmbH.

"The rising demand for energy in urban areas, combined with the fact that space is an expensive asset in these locations, forces the move to powerful, space-saving electricity transportation. By working together with RWE, we are continuing our long-standing good partnership in different areas, and act as an ideal complement to each other,” says Frank Schmidt, head of the Nexans Superconductor Activity.
 

About RWE Deutschland AG
RWE Deutschland AG, which is headquartered in Essen, is responsible for the German activities of the RWE Group in the network, sales and energy efficiency areas and also manages the German regional companies. The company owns legally independent subsidiaries for sales, distribution network operation, metering and sales of technical services. Further subsidiaries are responsible for energy efficiency activities, including electromobility, as well as for gas storage devices. It has interests in some 70 regional and municipal utilities and employs around 19,000 people.
In its capacity as a legally independent subsidiary of RWE Deutschland AG, RWE Netzservice is in charge of project and sales activities for technical services.


About Nexans
Nexans brings energy to life through an extensive range of cables and cabling solutions that deliver increased performance for our customers worldwide. Nexans’ teams are committed to a partnership approach that supports customers in four main business areas: Power transmission and distribution (submarine and land), Energy resources (Oil & Gas, Mining and Renewables), Transportation (Road, Rail, Air, Sea) and Building (Commercial, Residential and Data Centers). Nexans’ strategy is founded on continuous innovation in products, solutions and services, employee development, customer training and the introduction of safe, low-environmental-impact industrial processes.
In 2013, Nexans became the first cable player to create a Foundation to introduce sustained initiatives for access to energy for disadvantaged communities worldwide.
We have an industrial presence in 40 countries and commercial activities worldwide, employing close to 26,000 people and generating sales in 2014 of 6.4 billion euros.
Nexans is listed on NYSE Euronext Paris, compartment A.
For more information, please consult: www.nexans.com



Contacts:
Press
Nexans:
Angéline Afanoukoe
Tel. +33 1 73 23 84 12
Angeline.afanoukoe@nexans.com

In Germany:
Jutta van Bühl
Tel.  +49 511 676 2629
Jutta.van_Buehl@nexans.com

Press’n’Relations II GmbH
Ralf Dunker
Gräfstr. 66
81241 München
Telefon +49 89 5404 722-11
Fax +49 89 5404 722-29
du@press-n-relations.de

RWE:
Sebastian Ackermann    
Tel.  +49 201 12-23802    
Sebastian.Ackermann@rwe.com


        
Relations Investisseurs
Michel Gédéon
Tel. +33 1 73 23 85 31
Michel.gedeon@nexans.com