First power delivered by France's Saint-Nazaire wind farm

The 480 MW Saint-Nazaire wind farm off the Guerande Peninsula in northwest France has produced the country's first offshore wind power, EDF Renouvelables said June 10.

Saint-Nazaire was one of six French offshore wind projects awarded concessions back in 2012 and 2014. The Eur2 billion EDF/Enbridge-owned project has a strike price of Eur143.6/MWh ($152/MWh) under a state-negotiated contract.

"By the end of 2022, 80 wind turbines in the park...should be installed at sea and produce a total of 480 MW, equivalent to the annual domestic consumption of 700,000 people," EDF Renouvelables said.

Some 27 GE Haliade 6 MW turbines have been installed to date following completion of a first unit in mid-April, while state network operator RTE has completed connection.

EDF Renewables is involved in three other offshore wind projects under construction at Fécamp (498 MW), Courseulles-sur-Mer (450 MW) and Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhone (the 24 MW Provence Grand large floating wind project), plus one under development off Dunkirk (600 MW).

Year-ahead French baseload power has settled above Eur300/MWh on the EEX exchange since May 11, averaging Eur310.82/MWh June to date versus Eur243.15/MWh for the corresponding German contract, regarded as a benchmark in European power.