EDF Moves Forward with Saint-Nazaire OWF O&M Base

EDF Energies Nouvelles (EN) has completed the layout of the operations and maintenance (O&M) base for its Saint-Nazaire offshore wind farm in France, and has hired a local architectural firm to design the O&M building to be built in La Turballe, with a focus on landscape and environment.

The developer said it found a favourable configuration for the O&M base after several months of work and discussion with the port authorities, the Departmental Council and fishermen, allowing a cohabitation of fishing activities and maintenance at the Quai des Espagnols.

Regarding the the assembly site, EDF EN said it was working closely with the Grand Port Nantes Saint-Nazaire, General Electric, the city of Saint-Nazaire and state authorities for the development of the assembly site at the port.

The developer also informed that it will use the next few months to make a new inventory of flora and fauna at the offshore wind farm site, just before the start of the project, to provide a baseline according to which it will the effects on the environment throughout both the construction phase and operations phase of the wind farm.

As reported earlier today (17 July), Fugro recently completed the survey and the sampling of the soil at 80 locations that will accommodate GE Haliade 6MW wind turbines.

EDF, together with project co-owner Enbridge, is now waiting for the ruling of the State Council on the Exploitation Authorisation in order to launch the construction of the project.

To remind, France’s President Emmanuel Macron announced in June that the government and the developers had re-negotiated the feed-in tariffs for the six previously approved offshore wind projects from around EUR 200 per MWh to around EUR 150 per MWh. Three of these projects are being developed by FDF EN, including the 480MW one off Saint-Nazaire.

The confirmation of the offshore wind project in Saint-Nazaire by the President of the Republic, Mr. Emmanuel Macron, is a new step forward for our team,” said Olivier de La Laurencie, the Saint-Nazaire project manager. “I wish as good a success to our project as Les Bleus had at this World Cup!”

The commissioning of the 480MW Saint-Nazaire offshore wind farm is scheduled for 2022.

Offshore WIND Staff