Saint-Brieuc Project to Soon Receive Prefectural Authorisation

The offshore wind project developed by the Iberdrola-led Ailes Marines consortium in the Bay of Saint-Brieuc, France, is set to receive the administrative authorisation in the coming days, according to French Ministry of the Environment, Energy and the Sea.

The further three offshore wind projects awarded at the French tender in 2012, developed by EDF EN and Enbridge, received prefectural orders “authorizing the installation and operation” of wind farms last year.

Two reports on the project were submitted to the Prefect of Côtes-d’Armor on 5 January 2017 by the Commission of Inquiry, appointed by the Administrative Court in Rennes. The reports are the result of the public inquiries concerning the offshore wind project, carried out concurrently from 4 August to 29 September 2016. The commission synthesised and analysed the observations submitted by the public, as well as the answers given by Ailes Marines in return, before submitting the reports to the prefect authorities.

According to Ailes Marines, three main topics covering 86% of the public observations concerned the environment, energy policy and the economy.

In its conclusions, the commission noted that “the disadvantages are limited, in relation to the advantages of the project” and has given a favourable opinion for each of the requests for authorisation filed by Ailes Marines, together with nine recommendations. Among others, these include improved knowledge of bats’ migratory corridors, the establishment of a baseline and monitoring of the fishery resource, and the reduction of acoustic disturbances related to pile driving.

Earlier this month, Ailes Marines said it had already committed to studying these recommendations and answering them if the Prefect of Côtes-d’Armor decided to retain them.

Offshore WIND Staff