France approves development permit for 480 MW offshore wind
France's supreme administrative court, Le Conseil d’Etat, has upheld the operating permit of the 480 MW Saint-Nazaire offshore wind project developed by EDF Renewables, a unit of EDF Group and Enbridge, a North American energy infrastructure company. All the administrative permits required for the construction and operational phases of the project are now secured.
The ruling is a further endorsement of the robustness of the project led by the Eolien Maritime France company (EMF) jointly controlled by EDF Renewables and Enbridge.
EMF has 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 future 480 MW offshore wind farm will generate the equivalent of 20% of Loire-Atlantique department demand for electricity. It will make a significant contribution towards the French government’s objective of generating 32% of the electricity it consumes from renewable sources by 2030.
The project’s 6 wind turbines will be located between 12 and 20 km off the coast. It is due to be commissioned in 2022.
The project was developed with highly extensive environmental studies and wide-ranging consultation over more than 10 years by EDF Renewables and its partners in the area – local authorities, the region’s population, sea users and chiefly fishing professionals, environmental organisations, and local economic and social development agencies.
The Conseil d’Etat ruling will enable EDF Renewables and Enbridge to make progress with the project financing process before the investment is given its final go-ahead.
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