Hydro entered into a five-year agreement with Nexans to supply approximately 85,000 tonnes of low-carbon aluminum wire rod between 2026 and 2030. The agreement is intended to support the modernization and decarbonization of Europe’s electricity grid using aluminum produced with renewable energy in Norway.
The aluminum wire rod will be produced at Hydro’s Karmøy primary aluminum plant in Norway, where the company has invested to expand wire rod capacity. The investment enables Hydro to increase production of low-carbon aluminum tailored to Europe’s growing need for electricity infrastructure.
As Europe continues to expand and modernize its electricity networks, reliable access to critical materials is becoming increasingly important for avoiding bottlenecks and supporting the timely delivery of grid projects. The agreement between Hydro and Nexans addresses this need by combining long-term supply security with low-carbon aluminum production.
The aluminum supplied under the agreement will be produced using Hydro REDUXA, Hydro’s low-carbon aluminum with a verified carbon footprint below 4.0 kg CO₂ per kg aluminum, which is less than one-third of the global average.
According to Hanne Simensen, executive vice president of Hydro Aluminium Metal, Europe’s transition from imported fossil energy to domestically produced renewable power is creating strong demand for modern electricity infrastructure. She noted that Hydro aims to work with partners such as Nexans to provide a stable and reliable supply of low-carbon aluminum solutions that can support Europe’s grid, competitiveness, and energy security.
Vijay Mahadevan, executive managing director for Europe and chief operations officer at Nexans, said the agreement strengthens the resilience of Nexans’ supply chain while supporting lower-carbon electrification. He emphasized that long-term access to responsibly produced aluminum will be important for delivering the grid infrastructure Europe will need over the coming decade.
The aluminum will be used in power cable solutions for medium-voltage power grids, overhead transmission lines, and subsea high-voltage infrastructure supporting Europe’s electricity network.
By supplying low-carbon aluminum for power grid, overhead line, and subsea connection applications, Hydro and Nexans are supporting the development of modern, efficient, and more sustainable electricity infrastructure in Europe.