Fécamp, France’s first offshore wind farm in Normandy, is now operational

In the presence of Roland Lescure, French delegated Minister for Industry and Energy, EDF, through its subsidiary EDF Renewables, EIH S.à.r.l, a subsidiary of Enbridge, Canada Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments) and Skyborn inaugurated the 500MW Fécamp Offshore Wind Farm. Located between 13 and 24km off the northern coast of France, the Wind Farm will help support France’s energy transition objectives, which aim to achieve a 33% share of renewable energy in its energy mix by 2030.

From the production of its first megawatt-hour in July 2023, to the installation of the 71st wind turbine, the Fécamp Offshore Wind Farm has been progressively connected to the national grid. In the coming weeks, it will be able to supply nearly 770,000 people with low-carbon electricity, equivalent to 60% of the annual electricity consumption of the Seine-Maritime department.

Working together with the region: a long-term commitment

Throughout the development and construction phases over the past 12 years, the Fécamp Offshore Wind Farm project team has worked in close consultation with all local stakeholders, which has enabled to best protect the landscape and surrounding environment and help ensure shared use of the sea. Numerous meetings with fishing professionals, residents, elected representatives and other stakeholders have allowed us to successfully complete a project that combines a commitment to the energy transition, consideration of local needs and resources, and respect for the environment. For example, the configuration of the wind farm has been adapted, with the turbines aligned in the direction of the current to allow fishing.

Cooperation with local stakeholders and environmental monitoring measures will continue throughout the operational phase of the Fécamp offshore Wind Farm.

A local industrial project in Normandy

Throughout the three-year construction phase, the Fécamp offshore wind farm relied primarily on the regional infrastructure and skills of Le Havre and Cherbourg to build the gravity foundations and wind turbines. In all, the project has mobilized some 3,000 jobs in the Normandy region and represents a total investment of around 2 billion euros.

With the maintenance base located on the Grand Quai peninsula in Fécamp, around a hundred local jobs have been created to operate of the wind farm. Day-to-day tasks will range from planning maintenance operations to optimizing electricity production.

“We are very proud to inaugurate the first offshore wind farm in Normandy, less than two years after the commissioning of the Saint-Nazaire wind farm in Loire-Atlantique. I would like to sincerely thank all the players in the Normandy region for their support, all the teams at EDF Renewables and our partners Enbridge, CPP Investments and Skyborn for the work they have accomplished. This new low-carbon electricity production facility would not have been possible without close, ongoing dialogue with elected representatives and local authorities, environmental associations, fishermen, economic players and local residents. The development of the Saint-Nazaire and Fécamp offshore wind farms has led to the emergence of a new industrial sector in France, essential for the development of future wind farms, in particular our Calvados, Dunkirk and Manche Normandie projects.” Luc Rémont, Chairman and CEO of EDF.

“The successful completion of the Fécamp Offshore Wind Farm marks a significant milestone for Enbridge and our project partners. Following the successful completion of Saint-Nazaire in 2022, Enbridge continues to advance the development and construction of several offshore wind projects in France, including the Provence Grand Large floating offshore wind project, and the Calvados, Dunkirk and Normandy offshore wind projects. These projects further highlight our commitment to being a leader in the energy transition and providing clean and secure energy to the region. Thank you to our partners – EDF Renewables, CPP Investments, and Skyborn – with whom we have helped to grow the French offshore wind industry.” Matthew Akman, Executive Vice President Corporate Strategy and President, Power, Enbridge.

“The global energy transition requires significant long-term and flexible capital, and we are pleased to be bringing our capital and expertise, alongside EDF Renewables, Enbridge and Skyborn, to this flagship infrastructure project. Following the success of our first project alongside our partners, Saint-Nazaire offshore wind farm, the commissioning of Fécamp is an important step in the advancement of France’s offshore wind capacity. Offshore wind projects are a focus of our investment activities as we see significant opportunities in the sector due to global decarbonisation goals and energy needs.” Bill Rogers, Managing Director, Global Head of Sustainable Energies, CPP Investments.

“We’re proud of everyone’s efforts to realize Fécamp Offshore Wind Farm, a project Skyborn has been committed to since 2007. Commissioning Fécamp is a significant step in advancing the clean energy transition in France and Europe. We extend our gratitude to our partners EDF Renewables for leading the execution and to Enbridge and CPP Investments for their collaboration”. Thomas Karst, Chief Executive Officer, Skyborn