The UK's first high voltage direct current (HVDC) subsea cable factory has opened at the Port of Nigg in the Highlands, creating up to 250 jobs and supporting more than 400 across the supply chain.
Japanese manufacturer Sumitomo has invested £350million in the facility, which will produce cables capable of transporting large volumes of electricity from Scotland's offshore wind farms to high-demand areas elsewhere in the UK.
The factory, located within the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport, will support the development of the UK's electricity superhighway connecting Scotland and England.
First Minister John Swinney, who attended the opening alongside Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander, described the investment as a vote of confidence in Scotland's engineering capabilities.
'As the first factory of its kind in the UK, it will help unlock our enormous offshore wind potential while bolstering energy security,' he said.
Mr Alexander added: 'Scotland is helping to solve one of the biggest challenges in our transition to clean energy, connecting offshore wind to where it's needed most.'
Source: Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce
