Nexans Swissgrid Geneva Underground Cables Project
Nexans won a contract from Swissgrid, Switzerland’s national grid operator, to supply and install 30 km of very-high-voltage (VHV) underground cables along the south side of the Geneva-Cointrin Airport. The project replaces existing overhead power lines between the Foretaille and Renfil substations with 220 kV underground cables. This upgrade improves grid reliability and also reduces visual and land-use impact in a busy urban corridor.
The €25 million turnkey contract goes beyond cable delivery. Nexans will install two 144‑strand fiber optic links, and it will also embed a temperature monitoring system in the cable network. As a result, Swissgrid can track cable performance more closely, optimize loading, and increase operational safety.
Strategic Context and Project Complexity
This Swissgrid project forms part of the “Axe Stratégique Réseau” grid development programs in the canton of Geneva. At the same time, it supports the Federal Roads Office’s “Redevelopment of the Grand‑Saconnex motorway junction.” Because these initiatives overlap, the undergrounding work is both technically and organizationally complex.
Nexans will handle key engineering services on the project. The scope includes dismantling and replacing an existing gas‑insulated extra‑high‑voltage link (GIL) and coordinating civil works with other infrastructure activities around the airport and motorway junction.
Nexans’ Track Record in Swiss VHV Projects
Marco Spinelli, CEO of Nexans Switzerland, welcomed the chance to continue collaborating with Swissgrid on this demanding project. He emphasized that Nexans teams will support every phase—from engineering and civil works to the production and installation of very‑high‑voltage networks.
Nexans already has strong experience with complex VHV cable projects in Switzerland. The company helped connect the Nant de Drance pumped storage plant to the grid in 2018 and completed the Linth‑Limmern connection in 2016. More recently, it delivered the underground cable link between La Bâtiaz and Le Verney in 2022. These projects show Nexans’ ability to deliver reliable grid connections in challenging environments.
