Submarine cable manufacturer XLCC has signed the UK Steel Charter in a boost for the industry. The step commits XLCC to using British-made metal where possible for its £16bn scheme to carry power from Morocco to Devon.
XLCC signed the charter at an event in Parliament on 19 April 2022, alongside representatives from politics, business and the trade union movement.
XLCC will create a new export-led HVDC cable manufacturing industry for the UK, nearly doubling the world’s current production. It aims to support renewable energy projects with the first factory planned for Hunterston, Scotland. XLCC will deliver its first project for the Xlinks Morocco-UK Power Project, consisting of four 3,800km long subsea cables, with the first phase between 2025-2027 connecting wind and solar power generated in Morocco exclusively to the UK in Devon.
Signing the UK Steel Charter shows a commitment to supporting existing and future jobs within the sector and the supply chain. Along with strengthening UK-based business, sourcing steel locally will cut transport emissions and seek to support decarbonisation in a sector dedicated to finding ways to minimise environmental impact of steel use.
A 3D rendering of a partially buried submarine cable. Credit: Shutterstock
Alan Mathers of XLCC commented, “Signing the UK Steel Charter is an opportunity to show our resolve to find more environmentally friendly solutions throughout all our operations. The Charter aligns with our values of keeping emissions as low as possible as we support global renewable projects, and we are pleased to publicly support a vital domestic industry and its workers.”
Gareth Stace, Director General of UK Steel, said, “We are delighted to welcome XLCC as signatories to the UK Steel Charter. As a forward-looking business seeking to provide low emission energy to the UK, sourcing steel from domestic suppliers fits with their core mission. XLCC and businesses like it will secure jobs for the future and allow this strategically vital industry to flourish for decades to come.”
