Nexans and Hydro have signed a five-year long-term agreement for the supply of approximately 85,000 tonnes of low-carbon aluminium wire rod to support the expansion and modernisation of Europe’s electricity networks.
The material will be supplied to Nexans’ European operations for use in medium-voltage power grids, overhead transmission lines and subsea high-voltage infrastructure projects. The companies say the agreement strengthens long-term supply security while supporting Europe’s accelerating energy transition.
The aluminium will be produced in Norway using 100% renewable energy through Hydro’s low-carbon aluminium production, helping reduce the embedded carbon footprint of electricity infrastructure projects.
Supporting Europe’s energy transition
As investment in electricity networks continues to increase across Europe, demand for responsibly sourced raw materials is also growing. According to Nexans, securing predictable supplies of low-carbon aluminium is becoming increasingly important as renewable energy deployment, grid reinforcement and cross-border electricity interconnections expand.
Hydro will supply its REDUXA low-carbon aluminium, which has a verified carbon footprint below 4.0kg CO₂ per kilogram of aluminium—less than one-third of the current global average.
“Europe’s electrification ambitions depend not only on generating cleaner energy, but also on building the infrastructure needed to transport it efficiently and reliably,” said Vijay Mahadevan, Executive Managing Director for Europe and Chief Operations Officer at Nexans.
He added that securing long-term access to responsibly produced aluminium would strengthen supply chain resilience while supporting lower-carbon electrification across Europe.
Investment aligned with future grid demand
The agreement runs until 2030 and aligns with Hydro’s recent investment to expand aluminium wire rod production capacity at its Karmøy smelter in Norway.
Hanne Simensen, Executive Vice President of Hydro Aluminium Metal, said Europe’s transition towards domestically generated renewable electricity is creating strong demand for modern grid infrastructure.
“Our ambition is to work with partners like Nexans and offer stable and reliable supply of the low-carbon aluminium solutions Europe needs to strengthen its grid, competitiveness and energy security.”
Hydro’s sustainability credentials, including Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) certification, EcoVadis ratings and traceability standards, formed an important part of the agreement.
Strengthening resilient electricity infrastructure
The companies said the partnership reflects growing demand for low-carbon, traceable materials across Europe’s energy infrastructure sector.
With policymakers placing increasing emphasis on modern and interconnected electricity grids, Nexans believes resilient supply chains will play an important role in supporting the continent’s long-term decarbonisation goals.
