JDR High-Voltage UK Cable Plant Approved in Northumberland
In 2022, JDR Cable Systems moved its JDR high-voltage UK cable plant another step forward when councilors on the Strategic Planning Committee of Northumberland County Council (NCC) approved the project. This decision clears a key hurdle for a state-of-the-art subsea cable facility that will support offshore wind and other renewable projects.
Local Support for the JDR High-Voltage UK Cable Plant
NCC Deputy Council Leader Richard Wearmouth confirmed the council’s full support for the development. He said the county feels “absolutely delighted” to welcome one of the most advanced subsea cable manufacturing facilities in the world. The plant will focus on renewable energy products and services, so it directly supports Northumberland’s carbon-neutral ambitions.
JDR plans to start construction this year and aims to open the facility in 2024. The project will create up to 207 high-quality local jobs when complete. It will also safeguard about 270 existing roles at JDR’s current UK manufacturing sites.
Investment, Funding, and Job Growth
The JDR high-voltage UK cable plant represents an initial investment of around £130 million. Part of this funding will come from a grant through the BEIS Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Support (OWMIS) scheme. JDR and TFK intend to secure the remaining capital with backing from financial institutions and UK Export Finance.
This new plant forms the first stage of JDR’s broader plan to expand its product portfolio for the global renewable energy market. The site will add high-voltage export cables and long-length array cables to JDR’s existing capabilities. In later phases, more than 400 people could work at the location, with production complementing JDR’s facilities in Hartlepool and Littleport.
JDR High-Voltage UK Cable Plant Adds Unique Capabilities
When complete, the Northumberland facility will feature a new catenary continuous vulcanization (CCV) line. With this equipment, JDR will operate the only UK site capable of full start-to-finish manufacturing of high-voltage subsea cables for offshore wind farms. This unique capability will help developers reduce supply risk, shorten lead times, and source more equipment domestically.
The plant will sit on a 16-hectare site at the former coal-fired Blyth power station in Cambois in northeast England. The redevelopment highlights the region’s shift from fossil fuels to clean energy infrastructure. Key features will include a 47.5 m vertical laying-up machine tower, a 45 m CCV tower, and extensive cable testing and storage facilities. JDR expects to start construction in the third quarter of this year and finish in early 2024.
