The 488 MW Îles d’Yeu and Noirmoutier (EMYN) offshore wind farm has started supplying green electricity to the French grid, only a few weeks after the installation of the first turbine.
Following a successful initial testing phase that began on 23 May, the wind farm’s first Siemens Gamesa 8 MW turbines are now connected to the national grid, supplying clean, renewable energy.
In May, Jan De Nul’s jack-up vessel Vole au Vent installed the first wind turbine at the site located 11.7 kilometres from the island of Yeu and 16.5 kilometres from the island of Noirmoutier.
“The first megawatt hours produced by EMYN are the result of meticulous coordination at sea and on land, between our teams, partners, stakeholders, and suppliers. It’s a rewarding moment for us and signals the start of the final operational stretch before full commissioning later this year ,” said Frédéric Flaus , Project Director for EMYN.
The Îles d’Yeu and Noirmoutier offshore wind farm currently has six turbines installed out of 61, while three are in production. The project is expected to reach its full operational capacity by the end of 2025.
The grid connection infrastructure, comprising both offshore and onshore components, has been developed and is operated by France’s transmission system operator (TSO) Réseau de Transport d’Électricité (RTE).
EMYN is a subsidiary of Ocean Winds, in partnership with Sumitomo Corporation, Banque des Territoires, and Vendée Énergie, all of which also hold equity stakes.
“This major milestone — first power supplied to the national grid — marks not only a technical achievement for the project but also a defining moment for Ocean Winds, as we deliver our very first offshore wind-generated electrons in France,” said Marc Hirt , Country Manager for France at Ocean Winds.
Alongside EMYN, Ocean Winds is currently advancing construction at the Dieppe Le Tréport wind farm and the 30 MW Les Eoliennes Flottantes du Golfe du Lion (EFGL) floating project in France.
In addition, the company, in partnership with Banque des Territoires, was awarded a new 250 MW floating offshore wind project in the Mediterranean at the end of last year.