French TSO Awards Multi-Billion-Euro Contract for Three Offshore Grid Connections

August 22, 2024, by Adnan Memija

French transmission system operator (TSO) Réseau de Transport d’Electricité (RTE) has awarded a contract to a consortium comprising Hitachi Energy and Chantiers de l’Atlantique for the onshore converter stations and the offshore substations for the Centre Manche 1, Centre Manche 2, and Oléron offshore wind projects.

The work scope consists of the engineering, procurement, construction, installation, and commissioning (EPCIC) turnkey delivery of three integrated high-voltage direct current (HVDC) grid connection systems for the three offshore wind projects, with a +/- 320 kV symmetrical monopole configuration.

It is mainly composed for each project of one HVDC onshore substation, including the civil works, the control and protection system, and the auxiliary system; one HVDC offshore substation, including the jacket and topside, the control and protection system, and the auxiliary system; and maintenance services until and after taking over.

The value of the contract awarded to a consortium comprising Hitachi Energy AB, Hitachi France, and Chantiers de l’Atlantique is EUR 4.5 billion.

The up to 1.2 GW Ile d’Oléron (AO7) wind farm is located off the island of Oléron, more than 35 kilometres from the coast, beyond the limits of the Marine Nature Park of the Gironde estuary and the Pertuis sea.

The 1.5 GW Centre Manche 2 (AO8) wind farm covers 260 square kilometres and is situated 40-50 kilometres east of the Manche department.

The 1 GW Centre Manche 1 (AO4) wind farm project offshore Normandy will be built by Eoliennes en Mer Manche Normandie, a special purpose company of EDF Renouvelables and Canada’s Maple Power.

The winners of the AO7 and AO8 tenders are scheduled to be announced this year, and the two wind farms are expected to be commissioned in 2032.

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RTE will be in charge of developing, constructing, and operating the three grid connections.

The Centre Manche 1 grid connection will link the entire AO4 offshore wind farm capacity, as well as a portion of the AO8 offshore wind farm capacity. Meanwhile, the Centre Manche 2 grid connection will connect up to 1.25 GW of the AO8 offshore wind farm.

Oléron grid connection will connect up to 1,2 GW of AO7 offshore wind farm.