Space Norway and SubCom have a deal to build and deploy the Arctic Way Cable System, a high-capacity subsea network that will connect mainland Norway to two of its territories—Jan Mayen and Svalbard—that are located quite far apart.

A press release said that the 2,350 km trunk-and-branch system will be the world’s northernmost repeatered subsea cable, running entirely within the Arctic Circle between 67°N and 78°N. The system is scheduled to be ready for service by Q2 2028 and will provide critical route diversity for the region’s growing data demands, while ensuring continued connectivity for remote Arctic communities.

SubCom will manufacture the cable and supporting infrastructure at its facility in Newington, New Hampshire, and will handle installation via one of its polar-certified Reliance Class vessels. The system will feature direct landings in Bodø (mainland Norway), Jan Mayen, and Longyearbyen (Svalbard), supplementing and eventually succeeding the existing Svalbard cable system, which is expected to remain in service beyond its original 25-year design life. The Arctic Way project underscores the strategic importance of high-latitude digital infrastructure as data traffic in the Arctic continues to grow.

Space Norway’s goal is to deliver uninterrupted Arctic connectivity as existing cables near end-of-life by 2028+.The system addresses growing regional data demands from commercial, government, and scientific stakeholders.

Arctic Way builds on SubCom’s previous work deploying the original Svalbard cable system, which remains the sole telecommunications link between Svalbard and mainland Norway. That system consists of two separate optical fiber cables, each with eight fiber pairs, running from Harstad to Breivika in Andøy Municipality, and from Breivika to Hotellneset near Longyearbyen, Svalbard. The main undersea segments from Breivika to Hotellneset are 1,375 and 1,339 km long, respectively. Each cable includes 20 optical repeaters and is capable of a speed of 10 Gbit/s, with a future upgrade potential of up to 2,500 Gbit/s.

“Establishing the new Arctic Way cable system is imperative to ensure that data connectivity for the Arctic community is effective and uninterrupted for decades to come,” said Morten Tengs, CEO of Space Norway.

LS GreenLink USA, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of South Korea’s LS Cable & System Ltd. (LS C&S), on April 28 held the official groundbreaking ceremony at its new submarine power cable manufacturing facility on a 97-acre site in Chesapeake, Virginia.

A press release said that the company plans to invest more than $680 million in the new facility as part of its long-term global expansion strategy. The plant is expected to be operational by the end of 2027, with full operations beginning in early 2028. The project is anticipated to create more than 330 new jobs in its first phase, with future expansion possible.

LS C&S anticipates the U.S. subsea cable market will grow more than 30% annually over the next decade. The company said the new plant will provide end-to-end capabilities in high-voltage direct current (HVDC) subsea cable manufacturing, transportation and supply.

“The construction of the LS GreenLink plant is a turning point for LS Cable & System to become a global energy infrastructure company,” said LS C&S XEO Koo Bon-kyu.

In March 2024, the project was awarded $99 million in investment tax credits under Section 48C of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, also known as the “Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Credit Program.” Other cable manufacturers have also qualified, including Hellenic Cables Americas, which was awarded a tax credit allocation in 2024 of up to $58 million for its planned cable manufacturing facility in Baltimore, Maryland.

In 2022, Prysmian announced similar plans to build a cable plant in Somerset, Massachusetts but canceled that in January 2025. While multiple reports cited the Trump administration’s executive orders halting new offshore wind permits as a key factor, Prysmian publicly stated that its decision was unrelated to political changes.

TS Conductor (TS), a U.S.-based manufacturer of advanced power transmission technology, will invest $134 million to build a new production facility in Hardeeville, South Carolina, that will create more than 450 jobs.

Per multiple press releases, the plant will manufacture TS’s Aluminum Encapsulated Carbon Core (AECC) conductors, which are designed as direct substitutes for traditional ACSR (aluminum conductor steel-reinforced) cables and are compatible with existing installation and maintenance practices. The new facility, located in the Clarius Park Hardeeville industrial park near the Port of Savannah, is TS’s second U.S. manufacturing site, its first being in Huntington Beach, California.

The project will be carried out in three phases. Phase one involves TS moving into a 301,275-sq-ft building within Clarius Park Hardeeville. This phase is scheduled to begin operations by the end of 2025 and is supported in part by funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) through its Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains. The DOE funding is part of a broader initiative to bolster domestic manufacturing capacity for critical energy supply chain needs, including high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission lines.

Future phases of the project could add up to 1 million sq ft of additional manufacturing space as demand grows. TS projects the three-phase expansion will create 462 manufacturing jobs. The AECC conductors incorporate a pre-tensioned carbon core, a seamless aluminum encapsulation layer and trapezoidal strands made from annealed aluminum. The design is intended to maximize strength, reduce thermal expansion and improve conductivity compared to conventional steel-reinforced cables. The advanced conductors are often used for reconductoring existing power cable lines, especially in applications where excessive sag is a concern, allowing utilities to upgrade capacity without replacing towers or structures.

The TS technology has been recognized with the 2024 Bloomberg NEF Pioneers Award, the S&P Global Platts Rising Star Company award and honors from Public Utilities Fortnightly and DOE. The 2023 June issue of WJI included a writeup on the DOE’s choosing TS as one of the seven companies chosen from 50 teams that entered its Stage 2 Conductivity-enhanced materials for Affordable, Breakthrough Leapfrog Electric applications (CABLE) contest. The winners got $200,000 and $100,000 in vouchers for laboratory support.

TS’s expansion comes at a time when the U.S. electric grid is facing increased demand due to the growth of data centers, manufacturing, and new energy projects. TS says its

conductors are intended to help utilities increase transmission capacity and improve grid reliability without requiring major changes to existing infrastructure.

The announcement in March was attended by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, who welcomed TS Conductor to Jasper County, and by state and local officials who highlighted the potential economic impact of the investment. “TS Conductor’s announcement showcases that cutting-edge energy companies recognize the many advantages of doing business in South Carolina,” said Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III.

In July 2024, TS Conductor raised $60 million in a growth funding round to support the expansion. 

WAI, in collaboration with Hyperion Materials & Technologies (HMT), will present a two-part webinar series in September free to WAI members for wire die tool makers and wire producers that will provide insights into PCD and TC wire dies.

Part 1, Differentiating High-Quality PCD Wire Dies, will be held Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 11 am EST, presented by HMT’s Hector Ferrer Ribas, a business development specialist-carbide metal cutting, and Andrew Gledhill, technical manager. They will focus on identifying PCD wire dies. Topics will include fundamental material properties, common defects like EDM cutting issues and cracks, and the impact of quality on Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Attendees will also receive a checklist to assess superior products and learn about innovations in PCD materials.

Part 2, Key Differentiators in Carbide Wire Dies, will be held Wednesday, Sept. 24, at 11 am EST, will highlight the defining features of high-quality carbide wire dies. Attendees will explore red flags such as casing issues, breakage, and porosity, along with an assessment checklist to evaluate manufacturing quality and material consistency. The webinar will also cover advancements in carbide materials, testing methods, and the importance of traceability and certifications.

Both sessions will be recorded for those unable to attend live, with that access free to WAI members. They will offer a convenient opportunity for industry professionals to deepen their understanding of wire die quality and advancements. For more updates on these events and programs, visit wirenet.org.