Cables: Nexans and RTE launch a joint industrial aluminium recycling process (FR)

On 10/07/2025, RTE, operator of the French electricity transmission network, and Nexans, a leading French cable manufacturer, launched together a joint industrial process for recycling aluminium for the manufacture of electricity cables.

One of the strategic pillars of the SDDR 2025, presented by RTE on 13 February 2025, is the establishment of a network equipment recycling industry in France and Europe. RTE states that the challenge is twofold: "to establish French and European production and supply channels for raw materials, and to minimise the environmental impact of the supplies needed to maintain and develop the network".

As part of this new supply chain, electricity transmission network cables will be recycled in France before being reinstalled on RTE's high and very high voltage lines. Nexans will collect the cables throughout France; they will then be shredded at the Recycâbles site in Noyelles-Godault (Pas-de-Calais) and reintegrated into the aluminium wire production chain in France. The "wire rod" obtained will then be used by Nexans to manufacture recycled cables at…