French Issue UXO Target Investigation Services Call

French transmission system operator RTE Réseau de Transport d’Electricité has issued a contract notice seeking unexploded ordnance (UXO) target identification surveys across two offshore wind subsea cable routes.

The work will be carried out along the export cable routes of the Fécamp and the Courseulles-sur-mer (Calvados) offshore wind projects.

The tender covers the investigation and identification with Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and/or with divers to confirm the nature of all the potential UXO along the submarine cable routes as identified and modelled from a geophysical campaign.

The submarine cable route of the Fécamp project is approximately 17.5 kilometres long and the submarine cable route of the Courseulles project is approximately 15.5 kilometres long.

RTE has also issued a pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) to shortlist suitably qualified companies who will be invited to tender for the provision of the services required.

The contract for the Fécamp project is scheduled to start on 15 March 2021 and end on 30 November 2022. The Courseulles project will start on 15 March 2021 and end on 31 August 2023.

The tender will remain open until 16 October.

The 500 MW Fécamp and 450 MW Courseulles-sur-Mer wind farms are being developed by Éolien Maritime France (EMF), a joint venture between EDF Renewables, Enbridge, and CPP Investments.

The projects are expected to reach a final investment decision by next year and to be commissioned by 2024.

The wind farms will feature Siemens Gamesa turbines.