EDF Renewables, Enbridge and CPP Investments have brought the 480MW Saint Nazaire offshore wind farm, off France’s west coast, into full commercial operation.
Located between 12 and 20 km from the south-west coast of France, the wind farm will help support the French State’s energy transition goals, which include targets to generate 32% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030.
The wind farm will produce the equivalent of 20% of the Loire-Atlantique’s annual electricity consumption.
An inauguration is taking place on 23 November in Saint Nazaire to celebrate the milestone.
After nearly three years of construction, the Saint-Nazaire Offshore Wind Farm first produced electricity at the beginning of June 2022 and proceeded to incrementally connect its 80 wind turbines to the national electricity transmission network.
About one hundred people will continue to be employed at the site to help ensure the operation and maintenance of the wind farm in La Turballe, France.
“Enbridge is excited about the arrival of the first commercial-scale offshore wind project in France, the Saint-Nazaire Offshore Wind Farm, and about our role as a leader of the global energy transition.
“We’re advancing several renewable energy projects in Europe and North America, and we are proud to have met this achievement ahead of schedule.
“We extend our appreciation and thanks to our partners, EDF Renewables and CPP Investments, and look forward to continuing our work together to grow France’s offshore wind sector,” said Matthew Akman, Senior Vice President, Power, Strategy and New Energy Technology, Enbridge.
Enbridge is partnered in three other French wind projects that are under construction: Fecamp, Calvados and Provence Grand Large.
The company said it continues to build its low-carbon portfolio, which has grown from an investment in a single wind farm in 2002 to more than $8bn invested in renewable energy projects at the end of last year.
It now has 23 wind farms in operation and under construction, 17 solar energy operations, seven renewable natural gas facilities, two hydrogen facilities and 10 other renewable power assets.