First Wind Turbine Stands Offshore France’s Normandy

July 4, 2023, by Adnan Durakovic

The first wind turbine has been installed at the Fécamp wind farm offshore Normandy, France.

The 71-turbine Fécamp offshore wind farm is being jointly developed by Eolien Maritime France (EMF), a joint venture between the French company EDF Renouvelables; EIH S.à.rl, owned by Enbridge Inc. and CPP Investments; and Skyborn.

Following the load-out of the first four wind turbines from the port of Cherbourg, DEME Offshore’s Innovation proceeded with the installation of the components of the first wind Siemens 7 MW turbine on the construction site located between 13 and 24 kilometres off the coast of Normandy.

When commissioned, scheduled for the winter of 2023-2024, the 500 MW Fécamp offshore wind farm will supply low-carbon electricity for the annual electricity consumption of 770,000 people, equivalent to 60 percent of the population of Seine-Maritime, EDF Renewables said.

The wind farm will contribute to achieving France’s objective of 40 per cent of electricity production from renewable sources by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050.

In total, the three-year project will have mobilized 2,000 people in the Normandy region at peak times, including more than 1,200 on the gravity foundations site and up to 1,000 in the Siemens Gamesa factory in Le Havre for the manufacture of blades and nacelles. The electrical substation, built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique, will have mobilized more than 450 people in Saint-Nazaire.

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Bertrand Allanic, Director of the Fécamp offshore wind farm for EDF Renewables, said: ”After several years of mobilization by the EDF Renewables teams, our partners EIH S.à.rl, owned by Enbridge Inc. and CPP Investments, and Skyborn, and territory, the park is now taking a symbolic step. It is a moment of strong emotion and pride for all those who contribute daily to the success of this project.”

Fécamp is the third commercial-scale wind project offshoreFrancetoreach the turbine installation phase, following the now-inaugurated Saint-Nazaire, and the Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm.