EDF Renewables, a subsidiary of the EDF Group, and its partners
Enbridge, a North American energy infrastructure company, and German independent renewable energy provider wpd,
are delighted with today’s ruling by the Conseil d’Etat, France’s
supreme administrative court, dismissing the appeals against the
concession permits allowing the Courseulles-sur-Mer and Fécamp offshore wind projects to occupy publicly owned maritime zones.
The Courseulles and Fécamp projects, in Normandy, will generate enough power to cover respectively the equivalent electricity consumption of close to 630,000 people, or over 90% of the Calvados department’s population, and more than 770,000 people, or over 60% of the Seine-Maritime department’s population.
These projects have been shaped by sophisticated environmental studies and wide-ranging consultation in the area spanning more than 10 years by the consortium. Local authorities, the region’s population, sea users (chiefly fishing professionals), environmental organisations, and local economic and social development agencies were all involved in the process.
Following the ruling by the Conseil d’Etat, EDF Renewables, Enbridge and wpd will continue to develop the Fécamp and Courseulles projects.
The consortium won the competitive bidding for the three offshore wind farm projects at Courseulles-sur-Mer, Fécamp and Saint-Nazaire in 2012 when the French government launched its first call for tenders in the sector. The decision follows on from the ruling handed down by the Conseil d’Etat on 7 June approving the permit to operate the Saint-Nazaire offshore wind farm project.
Bruno Bensasson, EDF Group’s Senior Executive Vice President, Renewable Energies and Chairman & CEO of EDF Renewables, commented: “This Conseil d’Etat ruling is a further endorsement of the quality of the projects developed by EDF Renewables’, Enbridge’s and wpd’s teams. The three groups worked together to address all the energy and economic priorities in the Normandy region. With four projects in development, the EDF Group consolidates its position as leader of France’s offshore wind energy industry and is a major force across Europe. These large-scale projects fit perfectly with EDF’s Cap 2030 strategy, under which it aims to double the Group’s renewable energy capacity worldwide by 2030 to bring them to 50,000 MW.”
About the Courseulles-sur-Mer offshore wind farm project
The Courseulles-sur-Mer offshore wind farm project is being led by EDF Renewables, Enbridge and wpd.
The wind turbines will be located over 10 km from the Bessin coast.
The power generated by the future offshore wind project, which will have close to 450 MW in capacity, will cover the equivalent electricity consumption of close to 630,000 people, or over 90% of the Calvados department’s population.
The assembly of the wind turbines at the logistics hub to be located in Cherbourg and offshore installation work will be handled by a workforce of 200 during the construction project. During the operational phase, wind farm operations & maintenance activities based at the port of Caen-Ouistreham will create approximately one hundred sustainable local jobs.
For more information, go to: http://www.parc-eolien-en-mer-du-calvados.fr/
About the Fécamp offshore wind farm project
The Fécamp offshore wind farm project is being led by EDF Renewables, Enbridge and wpd.
The wind turbines will be located between 13 km and 22 km off Fécamp.
The future facility will have close to 500 MW in installed capacity and will cover the equivalent electricity consumption of more than 770,000 people, or over 60% of the Seine-Maritime department’s population.
Completing the wind turbines’ gravitational foundations will provide employment for 600 people at the port of Le Havre throughout the construction period.
During the operational phase, wind farm operations & maintenance activities based at the port of Fécamp will create approximately one hundred sustainable local jobs.
For more information, go to: http://parc-eolien-en-mer-de-fecamp.fr/
All the consortium partners possess considerable experience in offshore wind farms and large-scale industrial projects:
- EDF Renewables brings its expertise in the development of renewable energy projects, including in the Belgian, UK and German offshore wind sectors, and can harness all the EDF Group’s know-how in delivering very large-scale energy projects.
- Enbridge Inc. is a North American group at the forefront of the energy infrastructure sector. The group has made major investments across Europe in several offshore wind projects currently at the development and construction stage. It also operates a wind farm in service in the United Kingdom.
- wpd offshore is engaged in the development, construction and operation of offshore wind farms; 3 projects have already been successfully commissioned in Germany; and wpd offshore recently achieved Financial Close for its 640MW windfarm in Taiwan.
