An announcement that the final grant agreement has been reached for a £130m subsea cable facility in Northumberland has been described as ‘fantastic news’ by the council. 
 

JDR Cable Systems (JDR), the global subsea cable and umbilical supplier and servicer has reached final agreement under the UK government’s Offshore Wind Manufacturing Scheme (OWMIS) on financial support for its new state-of-the-art subsea cable manufacturing facility in Cambois.
 

The agreement means JDR is on track to begin construction in summer 2022, with a planned opening in 2024. The new £130m UK Export Finance (UKEF) Export Development Guarantee is set to create 171 high-quality local jobs on completion while safeguarding 270 jobs at JDR’s existing facilities. 
 

The facility will be built on Advance Northumberland’s Northumberland Energy Park Phase One (a North East Enterprise Zone), and also create a significant number of indirect jobs created through the supply chain for the development. 
 

Council Leader Glen Sanderson said: “This is fantastic news for the company, the local area and the wider county. 
 

“We are so proud to be attracting these visionary, high-tech companies to Northumberland, which are bringing thousands of skilled jobs to an area once dominated by heavy industry. 
 

“It really is a remarkable success story that part of our county once famous for helping power the world with coal is now at the forefront of this green energy revolution.” 
 

Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: “Our offshore wind sector is a major industrial success story that delivers cheaper energy for consumers and high-quality manufacturing jobs across the UK. Investments such as this from JDR, with government backing, are exactly the kind which our British Energy Security Strategy will attract, while reducing our exposure to volatile global gas prices.” 
 

Jeff Watson, Chair of Advance Northumberland said “This is a fantastic milestone for JDR Cable Systems investment into Northumberland. The new state of the art subsea cable production facility will lead to the creation of over 170 new green jobs in the County, solidify our status as a leading investment location in the UK for renewable energy as well directly contribute to the Government’s net zero agenda”. 
 

James Young, Chief Strategy Officer at JDR said: “The energy transition will only accelerate, meaning more power from larger turbines, installed farther offshore and with higher voltage subsea cables to connect them. The North East of England is the ideal base from which to serve the largest offshore renewable energy market in Europe.”