NKT – NKT receives contract for three high-voltage AC onshore cable projects from Hamburger Energienetze

EMR Analysis

More information on NKT: See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Claes Westerlind (President and Chief Executive Officer, NKT): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Michael Yong (Member of the Global Leadership Team, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, NKT): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Charging Forward (Corporate Strategy 2025) by NKT: See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

 

 

More information on Grid Solutions & Accessories Business Line (Previously Service & Accessories Business Line) by NKT: See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Raphael Görner (Member of the Global Leadership Team, Executive Vice President, Head of Grid Solutions Business Line, Grid Solutions & Accessories Business Line, NKT):  See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Mark Schlatter (Vice President, Central Europe, ME and Australia, Grid Solutions Business Line, Grid Solutions & Accessories Business Line, NKT):  See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Denis Schuler (Member of the Global Leadership Team, Executive Vice President, Head of Accessories Business Line, Grid Solutions & Accessories Business Line, NKT): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

 

 

 

More information on Hamburger Energienetze: https://www.hamburger-energienetze.de/ + Hamburger Energienetze GmbH is a municipal company owned by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, formed from the merger of Stromnetz Hamburg GmbH and Gasnetz Hamburg GmbH. Its approximately 2,400 employees, through their dedication and expertise, ensure a future-proof energy supply for households and large customers, increasingly relying on renewable energy sources. In doing so, we lay the foundation for Hamburg’s thriving economy and place of residence.

The trust and satisfaction of Hamburg’s residents drive us – we maintain a dialogue with our customers and offer them simple and future-proof solutions from a single source. As a municipal company, we have a special responsibility for the energy transition in Hamburg.

More information on Karin Pfäffle (Spokesperson for the Management Board + Director of Labor Relations, Hamburger Energienetze): https://www.hamburger-energienetze.de/ueber-uns/unternehmen/management + https://www.linkedin.com/in/karin-pf%C3%A4ffle-305151126/ 

More information on Michael Dammann (Member of the Management Board + Responsible for Asset Management, Energienetze): https://www.hamburger-energienetze.de/ueber-uns/unternehmen/management + https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-dammann-4a4a14210/ 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EMR Additional Notes:

• Extra Low-Voltage (ELV):
  • Extra-Low Voltage (ELV) is defined as a voltage of ≤ 50 V AC (RMS) or ≤ 120 V DC (ripple-free).
  • ELV systems are typically used where electrical safety is critical (e.g., building automation, control circuits, lighting, telecom).
• Low-Voltage (LV):
  • The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) defines Low Voltage (LV) for supply systems as voltage in the range > 50–1000 V AC or > 120–1500 V DC.
• Medium-Voltage (MV):
  • Medium Voltage (MV) is a voltage class that typically falls between low voltage and high voltage, with a common range being from > 1 kV up to ~30–36 kV (typical IEC practice).
  • Some regions (e.g., North America) extend MV up to ~69 kV, depending on utility definitions.
• High-Voltage (HV):
  • The International Electrotechnical Commission defines high voltage as above 1000 V AC and above 1500 V DC.
  • In practice, HV is often considered from ~36 kV up to ~230 kV in transmission systems.
• Super High-Voltage or Extra High-Voltage (EHV): 
  • Extra High-Voltage (EHV) is the voltage class used for long-distance bulk power transmission. The range for EHV systems is typically from ~220 kV to ~765–800 kV. “Super High Voltage” is not a standard IEC term.
• Ultra High-Voltage (UHV): 
  • Ultra High-Voltage (UHV) is the highest voltage class used in electrical transmission, defined as a voltage of ≥ 800 kV (AC) and ≥ 800–1000 kV (DC, depending on classification).

 

 

 

• AC (Alternating Current) & DC (Direct Current) & UC (Universal Current):
  • Direct Current (DC):
    • Electric current that is unidirectional, meaning the flow of charge is always in the same direction. Unlike alternating current, the direction does not change. It is used in many household electronics and in all battery-powered devices.
    • Direct current has many uses, from charging batteries to supplying power for electronic systems, motors, and industrial processes. Very large quantities of DC power are used in applications such as aluminum smelting and other electrochemical processes.
    • DC is more efficient for long-distance transmission at very high voltages (HVDC) because it avoids reactive power losses and reduces skin effect and capacitive losses, especially over long distances and submarine cables.
  • Alternating Current (AC): 
    • Alternating current is an electric current in which the direction of flow periodically reverses (typically 50 or 60 Hz).
    • AC is used in power grids and homes because it can be easily transformed to higher or lower voltages using transformers. This allows efficient transmission at high voltage over long distances and safe distribution at low voltage for end users.
    • DC can also be converted to different voltage levels, but it requires power electronics (converters), not simple transformers.
  • Universal Current (UC): .
    • Universal Current (UC) means a device can operate with either AC or DC input.
    • For example, a 24 V UC input can accept either 24 V AC or 24 V DC.
    • UC is not a type of current, but a device input specification indicating compatibility with both AC and DC supplies.

 

 

• Volts of Direct Current (VDC):
  • VDC stands for Volts of Direct Current, representing electric potential in a system where current flows consistently in one direction, from positive to negative. Unlike VAC (Alternating Current), VDC is used by batteries, solar panels, and electronics, providing stable, non-reversing power, typically for low-voltage devices, electronics, and industrial sensors.
• VDC Main Distribution Bus:
  • A VDC (Volts Direct Current) main distribution bus is a central, heavy-duty electrical conductor—typically a copper or aluminum bar—used to collect and distribute direct current power from sources (like batteries, solar panels, or rectifiers) to various loads in a high-power system. It acts as the central backbone of a DC power architecture, commonly operating at higher voltages (e.g., 380V, 400V, 800V, or 1000V) in modern industrial, data center, and marine applications to increase efficiency and reduce copper losses.

 

 

 

• Transmission System Operator (TSO): 
  • A Transmission System Operator (TSO) is an entity entrusted with operating, maintaining, and developing the high-voltage or extra-high-voltage electricity transmission network within a defined geographical area or jurisdiction, including ensuring the reliable operation and security of the transmission system. In the gas sector, a TSO performs comparable functions for high-pressure gas transmission networks, but electricity and gas TSOs are separate concepts.
  • The TSO is responsible for operating and coordinating the transmission system and facilitating the transport of bulk electricity over long distances, ensuring system-wide real-time balance between supply and demand, and maintaining grid stability (including frequency, voltage and overall system security). In electricity systems, TSOs also coordinate system operation, manage congestion and system security, and facilitate the integration of generation, interconnections, storage, demand-side resources, and other system resources.
  • The term is used in EU legislation and international energy regulation. In the EU, the role and responsibilities of electricity TSOs are established through EU legislation and related network codes, with implementation and oversight also involving national regulatory authorities, ACER and European-level coordination through ENTSO-E; it is therefore not simply a term defined by the European Commission.
• Distribution System Operators (DSO) and Distribution Network Operators (DNO):
  • Entities responsible for operating, maintaining, and developing electricity distribution networks, typically at medium- and low-voltage levels, delivering energy from the transmission system (or distributed generation) to final consumers. Depending on the country and network structure, the distribution system may also include other voltage levels, directly connected generation or customers, and associated network assets.
  • DSOs increasingly manage bidirectional or changing power flows resulting from distributed energy resources like solar PV, EVs, storage, and flexible demand, not just one-way distribution. They may also actively manage network constraints, voltage, congestion, flexibility, and the connection and operation of distributed energy resources.
  • Digitalisation is a key enabler of the increasingly active DSO role, requiring investments in automation, smart meters, grid monitoring, communications, advanced distribution management and control systems, and data analytics.
  • A DNO (Distribution Network Operator) already performs much of the tasks that a DSO does, but there are differences. In many contexts, DNO and DSO refer to essentially the same distribution-network operator, while “DSO” increasingly emphasizes the broader active-system-management role associated with distributed generation, flexible demand, storage, and other distributed energy resources. The exact terminology, market role and legal responsibilities vary by country.
  • A conventional distribution network is traditionally operated as a passive (or largely passive) network. Passive distribution networks are designed primarily to accept bulk power from the transmission system and distribute it downstream to consumers. Traditionally, distribution networks were predominantly operated as passive, one-way systems, with power flowing mainly from the transmission network toward consumers. Modern distribution networks are increasingly active, with bidirectional or variable power flows and active management of distributed resources, flexibility, voltage and network constraints.
• =>DNO vs. DSO:
  • DNO: a designation for an entity responsible for operating a distribution network; traditionally, DNOs operated predominantly passive, one-way networks, but a DNO can also operate an increasingly active network.
  • DSO: emphasizes the active operation and coordination of a distribution system, including distributed generation, flexible demand, storage, network constraints, voltage, flexibility and changing power flows.

 

 

 

• Fundamental Electrical Quantities and Units:
  • Electric Current:
    • Ampere (A): The ampere is the SI unit of electric current. Electric current represents the rate of flow of electric charge through a system. Depending on the medium, charge may be carried by electrons, ions, holes or other charge carriers. One ampere corresponds to one coulomb of charge passing a point per second:
      • 1 A = 1 C/s
      • In the current SI, the ampere is defined by fixing the elementary charge at exactly 1.602 176 634 x 10-19 C.
    • Milliampere (mA): The milliampere is a unit of electric current equal to one-thousandth of an ampere:
      • 1 mA = 10⁻³ A
      • It is commonly used for small currents in electronic circuits, sensors, control systems and low-power devices.
  • Electrical Potential Difference (Voltage):
    • Volt (V): The volt is the SI unit of electric potential difference, commonly called voltage. Voltage represents the difference in electric potential energy per unit electric charge between two points:
      • 1 V = 1 J/C
      • A potential difference can produce an electric current when an appropriate conductive path and circuit conditions exist.
    • Kilovolt (kV): The kilovolt is a unit of electric potential difference equal to 1,000 volts:
      • 1 kV = 10³ V
  • Electrical Power and Energy:
    • Power: Power is the rate at which energy is transferred, converted or delivered. The SI unit of power is the watt (W):
      • 1 W = 1 J/s
      • Electrical power may be expressed in W, kW, MW, GW or TW.
    • Energy: Energy is the amount of energy transferred, converted or stored. Electrical energy is commonly expressed in joules (J) or watt-hours (Wh), including kWh, MWh and GWh.
      • For constant power:
    • Energy = Power × Time
      • For variable power, energy is obtained by integrating power over time.
      • Electrical energy consumption is commonly billed in kWh, although electricity tariffs may also include charges based on demand or capacity.
  • Real or Active Power:
    • Real power (P), also called active power, is the average rate of net energy transfer in an electrical system. It represents the portion of electrical power associated with net transfer or conversion of energy, such as mechanical work, heat or light. It is expressed in watts (W) and its multiples.
    • Kilowatt (kW): 1 kW = 1,000 W.
    • Megawatt (MW): 1 MW = 1,000 kW = 1,000,000 W.
    • Gigawatt (GW): 1 GW = 1,000 MW = 1,000,000,000 W.
    • Terawatt (TW): 1 TW = 1,000 GW = 10¹² W. It is used for very large power levels, such as aggregated national or global generating capacity or instantaneous electrical demand. Energy consumed or generated over time should instead be expressed in units such as TWh.
  • Apparent and Reactive Power:
    • Apparent power (S) is a measure of the total RMS voltage-current loading of an AC system and is expressed in volt-amperes (VA). For sinusoidal AC:
      • S = V × I
      • Apparent power encompasses both active and reactive power. The apparent-power rating of equipment such as transformers, generators and UPS systems is commonly specified in VA, kVA or MVA.
    • Kilovolt-ampere (kVA): 1 kVA = 1,000 VA.
    • Megavolt-ampere (MVA): 1 MVA = 1,000 kVA = 1,000,000 VA.
    • Reactive power (Q) is the component of AC power associated with the periodic exchange of energy between the electrical system and reactive elements such as inductors and capacitors. It is expressed in var (volt-amperes reactive), kVAr or MVAr.
      • For sinusoidal AC: S² = P² + Q²
      • and:
      • P = S × power factor
      • Thus, at a power factor below unity, apparent power is greater than active power.
  • Specialized Renewable Energy Unit:
    • Kilowatt-peak (kWp):
      • kWp is a conventional designation for the rated peak power of a photovoltaic module or system under specified reference test conditions. It is a power rating, not a unit of energy. For conventional crystalline-silicon PV modules, Standard Test Conditions (STC) use an irradiance of 1,000 W/m², a cell temperature of 25°C and a specified reference solar spectrum.
      • For example, four 270 W modules have a combined nominal peak rating of: 4 × 270 W = 1.08 kWp
      • Actual electricity production depends on solar irradiance, orientation, tilt, shading, temperature, system losses, degradation and other operating conditions. Therefore, a kWp rating does not imply a fixed annual energy yield in kWh.

 

 

 

• Grid, Microgrids, DERs and DERM’s:
  • Grid / Power Grid:
    • The power grid is a network for delivering electricity to consumers. The power grid includes power generation facilities, substations, transmission lines and towers, distribution networks, protection and control equipment, and associated communication and monitoring infrastructure.
      • The grid continuously balances electricity generation and consumption while maintaining system stability and power quality, supplying electricity for applications ranging from industry to household appliances.
      • Electric grids perform three major functions or stages of electricity supply: power generation, transmission, and distribution. Grid operation also includes functions such as system balancing, protection, control, monitoring, and, increasingly, energy storage and demand-side management.
  • Microgrid:
    • A microgrid is a group of interconnected loads and distributed energy resources (DERs) within clearly defined electrical boundaries that acts as a single controllable entity with respect to the main grid and can operate either connected to the main grid or, when appropriately designed, intentionally and controllably in an islanded mode.
      • Microgrids can integrate local generation, energy storage, controllable loads, and other DERs to improve resilience, flexibility, efficiency, or local energy management.
  • Smart Grid:
    • A smart grid is an electrical grid enhanced with digital communications, sensing, automation, control, and data/analytics technologies across generation, transmission, distribution, and/or customer-side systems to improve the monitoring, operation, efficiency, reliability, resilience, and flexibility of the power system.
  • Distributed Energy Resources (DERs): 
    • Distributed energy resources (DERs) are relatively small-scale electricity generation, storage, and flexible demand resources, located at or near the distribution system or customer premises, that can supply, store, or modify electricity consumption and are interconnected to the electric grid. They are often located close to load centers and can be used individually or in aggregate to provide value to the grid.
      • Common examples of DERs include rooftop solar PV units, small wind turbines, small gas-fired generators or engines/turbines, microturbines, biomass generators, fuel cells, combined heat and power (CHP) or tri-generation systems with electrical generation, battery storage, electric vehicles and controllable EV charging or discharging where they can provide grid flexibility, and demand response applications.
  • Distributed Energy Resources Management Systems (DERMS):
    • Distributed Energy Resources Management Systems (DERMS) are software platforms that help utilities, distribution system operators (DSOs), aggregators, and other energy-sector organizations monitor, provide visibility into, forecast, coordinate, optimize, and, where supported, control distributed energy resources (DERs).
      • DERMS can be used to aggregate and coordinate large numbers of DERs and flexible loads for grid services, including voltage and power-flow management, congestion and constraint management, balancing, flexibility services, resilience, and participation in demand-response or other electricity markets. DERMS can be defined in many ways, depending on the use case, the types of DERs being managed, the responsibilities of the organization using the system, and the architecture of the power system.

 

 

 

• Heat Exchangers, Heat Pumps, Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP), Hydronics, Geothermal Heating – Cooling & Chillers:
  • Heat Exchangers – Heat Transfer Foundation:
    • Used to transfer heat from one medium to another. These media may be a gas, liquid, or a combination of both. The media may be separated by a solid wall to prevent mixing or may be in direct contact. Heat exchangers are required to provide heating and/or cooling to meet a process requirement.
    • In HVAC, heat exchangers are used to transfer heat between the indoor and outdoor air streams while keeping them physically separated as a means of cooling or heating indoor air. heat exchangers are components; systems performing heating/cooling cycles are heat pumps, not the heat exchangers themselves.
    • Gasketed heat exchangers are compact, highly efficient devices used to transfer heat between two fluids without mixing them. They consist of a series of corrugated metal plates fitted with elastomeric gaskets that seal the channels and direct the fluids into alternate pathways. This design creates high turbulence, maximizing heat transfer efficiency while maintaining a significantly smaller footprint than traditional shell-and-tube units.
  • Heat Pumps – Thermodynamic Systems (Energy Transfer Devices):
    • Use electricity to transfer heat from a cool space to a warm space, making the cool space cooler and the warm space warmer. During the heating season, heat pumps move heat from the cool outdoors into your warm house.  During the cooling season, heat pumps move heat from your house into the  outdoors. Because they transfer heat rather than generate heat, heat pumps can efficiently provide comfortable temperatures for your home. They operate on a vapor-compression refrigeration cycle (similar to air conditioners and chillers).
  • Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) – Thermodynamic Systems (Energy Transfer Devices):
    • Heating and cooling system that extracts heat from the outside air and transfers it to a building’s interior for heating, or reverses the process to cool the building. ASHPs are a low-carbon alternative to traditional heating systems like gas boilers or oil furnaces. They are efficient because they transfer heat rather than generating it, typically providing a coefficient of performance (COP) of ~2–4 under typical conditions (can vary significantly with temperature).
    • The only difference between a heat pump and a chiller is that one is designed to remove heat from a space or process stream, making it cooler and rejecting heat to the environment, while the other is designed to extract heat from the environment and use it to provide useful heat.
  • Chillers – Cooling Systems (Heat Removal Focus):  
    • Mechanical systems that remove heat from a building’s liquid coolant, typically water, and transfer it to another location to cool the air and maintain comfort. Unlike traditional systems that might cool air directly, chillers generate chilled water that circulates through air handling units (AHUs) within the space to absorb heat, making them essential for cooling large commercial or industrial buildings.
    • Chillers and heat pumps use similar thermodynamic cycles, but are designed and optimized for different applications (process/central cooling vs reversible heating/cooling).
    • The only difference between a heat pump and a chiller is not strictly the function, but primarily the design intent and system integration:
      • A chiller is typically designed to remove heat from a space or process (cooling-focused).
      • A heat pump is designed to provide useful heating (and often reversible cooling).
  • Hydronics – Distribution Systems (Energy Transport):
    • Systems of heating or cooling that involves transfer of heat by a circulating fluid (such as water or vapor) in a closed system of pipes. Hydronic systems distribute thermal energy (heating or cooling) but do not generate it themselves.
  • Geothermal Heating and Cooling Systems – Renewable / Ground-Based Systems:  
    • Take advantage of the relatively stable temperature underground using a piping system, commonly referred to as a “loop.” Water or a water-antifreeze mixture circulates in the loop to exchange heat between your home, the ground source heat pump, and the earth, providing geothermal heating, cooling, and hot water at very high efficiencies (often higher than ASHPs).

 

 

 

• XLPE:
  • Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) is a crosslinked form of polyethylene in which the polymer chains are chemically or physically linked to form a three-dimensional molecular network. This crosslinking gives the material greater thermal stability, dimensional stability and resistance to deformation than conventional thermoplastic polyethylene, allowing it to operate at higher temperatures and withstand short-circuit thermal stresses more effectively.
  • XLPE is widely used as an electrical insulation material, particularly in power cables from low-voltage through high- and extra-high-voltage applications. It is commonly applied as an extruded insulation layer around the conductor and is used in underground, land and submarine cable systems. Its suitability for a particular application depends on electrical, thermal, mechanical, environmental and fire-performance requirements. XLPE itself is not inherently low-smoke zero-halogen (LSZH); LSZH performance depends on the formulation and complete cable design.

 

 

 

• Power Cable:
  • A power cable is a cable designed to transmit or distribute electrical power between sources, substations, distribution networks and electrical loads. It typically contains one or more electrical conductors, commonly copper or aluminium, together with insulation and, depending on the voltage, installation environment and application, components such as semiconductive screens, metallic screens or sheaths, water barriers, armouring and an outer sheath. Power cables are used in a wide range of applications, including underground, submarine and industrial installations.
  • Power cables can be classified in several different ways, including by voltage level, installation environment, insulation technology, conductor technology and application. These classifications are complementary rather than mutually exclusive.
  • By Installation Environment:
    • Underground power cable: An insulated power cable installed below ground, typically used for power distribution or transmission where overhead lines are impractical, undesirable or unsuitable because of space, environmental, safety or aesthetic considerations.
    • Submarine power cable: A power cable designed for installation underwater, including on or beneath the seabed, to transmit electrical power between land areas, islands, countries or offshore installations such as wind farms. Such cables require specialized electrical insulation and mechanical and water protection appropriate to the installation environment.
    • Overhead conductor: A conductor used in overhead power transmission or distribution lines and suspended from poles or towers. Most overhead transmission and distribution lines use bare or lightly covered conductors rather than insulated power cables.
  • By Voltage Level:
    • Voltage classifications vary by applicable standard, country and industry practice. As a general industry convention, power systems are commonly described as low voltage (LV), medium voltage (MV), high voltage (HV) and extra-high voltage (EHV). For example, IEC TS 62749:2026 defines LV as ≤1 kV, MV as >1–35 kV and HV as >35–230 kV, while other regional classifications use different boundaries.
    • Mass-impregnated cable: A mass-impregnated cable is a specialized power cable that uses paper-based insulation impregnated with a highly viscous insulating compound. Mass-impregnated non-draining (MIND) cables have been widely used for high-voltage transmission, particularly HVDC submarine cables, where the insulation system provides high electrical and mechanical reliability under demanding conditions.
    • Superconducting power cable
      • A superconducting power cable uses superconducting materials that, when operated below their critical temperature and within their electrical and magnetic limits, exhibit extremely low electrical resistance. This can enable very high current capacity and power density compared with conventional conductors. However, the overall cable system still incurs energy consumption and losses associated with cryogenic cooling and other equipment.
      • High-temperature superconducting (HTS) cable is a type of superconducting power cable that uses high-temperature superconducting materials capable of operation at cryogenic temperatures substantially higher than those required by conventional low-temperature superconductors. Some HTS systems can operate using liquid-nitrogen-based cooling, although actual operating temperatures depend on the superconducting material and system design.
  • Telecommunication Cable:
    • A telecommunication cable is a cable designed primarily to transmit information signals, such as voice, data and video, rather than electrical power. Common types include twisted-pair copper cables, coaxial cables and fiber-optic cables. Copper cables transmit information using electrical signals, while fiber-optic cables transmit information as optical signals. Some telecommunications cabling systems can also carry electrical power, such as Power over Ethernet (PoE), but their primary function remains communication.

 

 

 

• Commissioning:
  • Commissioning ensures the system not only works but also works efficiently and effectively to meet its intended purpose. It is a quality assurance process that ensures a newly installed system is designed, installed, tested, and maintained to operate according to the owner’s requirements.
  • Commissioning also verifies performance against design intent and operational requirements—not just functionality.
  • It goes beyond a simple installation. Commissioning is a formal, documented process that involves several key steps:
    • Pre-Installation
    • Installation Verification.
    • Functional Performance Testing.
    • Documentation & Training.
    • Handover & Ongoing Commissioning.