The Estlink 2 interconnector between Finland and Estonia that was damaged by a ship anchor on Dec. 25, 2024, has been restored by Nexans.

A posting on LinkedIn by Nexans Executive Vice President Pascal Radue, PWR-Transmission, said that “the Estlink 2 interconnector ... has been successfully repaired by Nexans, reinforcing our position as a global leader in subsea cable Inspection, Maintenance and Repair (IMR).”

The summary noted that Fingrid Oyj contacted Nexans for the project. “In just 40 days from offshore mobilization, our teams completed the replacement of a 1-km high-voltage DC cable section—restoring 650 MW of cross-border transmission capacity in the Baltic region.”

Estlink 2 is a 171-km HVDC interconnection that links Estonia and Finland. The damage, caused by a cargo vessel’s anchor, halted the electricity flow between the two countries. The interconnection is operated jointly by Estonia’s Elering and Finland’s Fingrid.

The repair work, completed ahead of schedule, was lauded on-line. Posted Fingrid Oyj Unit Manager N. Kimmo, “Excellent commitment and performance from Team Nexans! Thank you for the good cooperation!” Added Olivier Le Galudec, head of Technical Guarantees, “It is great to salute those who repair and build! Work at sea is rough but this team did well. Congratulations.”

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) voted on May 29, 2025, to continue antidumping (AD) and countervailing (CVD) duty orders on aluminum wire and cable imports from China. This decision was made following the USITC’s mandatory five-year “sunset” review, which found that removing the existing orders would likely lead to renewed harm for domestic wire and cable producers.

Per USITC and media reports, the unanimous vote means the 2020 AD and CVD orders remain in force. The final AD duty rates set in 2020 for Chinese exporters of aluminum wire and cable ranged from approximately 33.44% to 63.47%, depending on the specific exporter. The final CVD rates imposed in 2020 for unfair subsidies ranged from about 11.97% to 38.81%, again varying by exporter.

The USITC ruling comes as President Trump has increased Section 232 tariffs on aluminum products, including wire and cable, from 10% to 25% effective March 12, 2025, through Proclamation No. 10895. These tariffs apply to a broad range of aluminum products and remove all previously approved exclusions and quotas. The Section 232 tariffs are imposed under national security provisions and are separate from the AD/CVD duties.

Aluminum and renewable energy company Hydro and power cable solutions provider NKT have signed a landmark long-term agreement for the supply of aluminum wire rod, valued at approximately €1 billion.

A press release said that the deal guarantees a stable supply of low-carbon aluminum from Hydro for NKT, which plans to ramp up production to meet surging demand for medium and high voltage power cables across Europe. The agreement calls for Hydro to supply NKT with an estimated 274,000 metric tons of aluminum wire rod from 2026 through 2033, with an option for additional volumes. The total quantity covered by the contract is enough to manufacture medium-voltage cables that could circle the globe nine times or stretch the entire distance to the moon, about 363,000 km.

The new deal builds on a more than 40-year partnership between the two companies and extends their existing contract for 2025. The agreement is seen as a critical step in supporting Europe’s efforts to modernize its aging grid infrastructure.

The agreement secures NKT access to Hydro’s REDUXA 4.0 primary aluminum, produced in Norway with renewable energy. It has a documented carbon footprint of 4 kg CO2e per kilo aluminum or less, about a quarter of the world industry average.

NKT President and CEO Claes Westerlind said that securing the long-term is important for the company to deliver on the growing demand for power cables as Europe accelerates its energy transition. “Our partnership with Hydro will help us ensure reliable deliveries to our customers and support the continent’s climate ambitions.”

“It is with a sense of urgency that Europe is now mobilizing to reduce dependency on fossil fuel imports, introduce more homegrown, renewable power, and ensure security of supply of critical raw materials,” said Hydro CEO and President Eivind Kallevik.

Prysmian reports that it has completed the acquisition of Channell Commercial Corporation (Channell), a strategic move that will further its ability to be a complete end-to-end supplier of Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) solutions.

A press release said that the $950 million acquisition positions Prysmian as a leading provider of Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) solutions, covering connectivity from the curb to the home. It also strengthens Prysmian’s overall position in the North American cable sector.

Channell supplies advanced thermoplastic enclosures that are essential for protecting fiber optic connections and network equipment in outdoor and underground FTTH deployments. “By combining Prysmian’s market-leading portfolio of optical cable products—including ribbon, loose tube, and drop cables—with Channell’s innovative infrastructure components, the acquisition creates a comprehensive FTTH solution for customers in North America.”

Prysmian’s positioning in the connectivity solutions space will also be strengthened, thanks to an extended commercial reach and complementary R&D focus that will position the business for the roll-out of FTTH and 5G, as well as the growth of data centers, the release said.

“This is not just an acquisition – it is a strategic step forward,” said Frederick Persson, Prysmian’s EVP Digital Solutions.