Saint-Nazaire, France (November 23, 2022) – EDF Renewables and EIH S.à.r.l, a subsidiary of Enbridge Inc. (TSX:ENB) (NYSE:ENB) and CPP Investments, have achieved a significant milestone as France’s first commercial-scale offshore wind project, the 480-megawatt Saint-Nazaire Offshore Wind Farm, is now fully operational. Located between 12 and 20 km from the southwest 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. By providing secure, low carbon, affordable and reliable energy, Saint-Nazaire is also responding to the global energy challenge at a crucial time. The wind farm will produce the equivalent of 20% of the Loire-Atlantique’s annual electricity consumption and supply the equivalent of the consumption of 700,000 people with electricity every year. To celebrate this milestone, an inauguration will take place today in Saint-Nazaire, France.
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.
Consultation at the heart of the project
For 10 years, the teams at the Saint-Nazaire offshore wind farm have been working in close consultation with all stakeholders to make this park an industrial installation bringing to fruition the energy transition anchored in its territory. After a public debate during the summer of 2013, a continuous dialogue was carried out with elected officials, state services and local economic actors such as fishing professionals, environmental associations and local residents until the public inquiry in 2015. In total, more than 1,500 working sessions with local stakeholders and more than 300 information meetings were organized. The park was thus designed to reduce as much as possible the constraints imposed on fishing during the construction phase and to allow fishing within it throughout the operational phase.
Thanks to these constructive exchanges, environmental protection associations such as France Nature Environnement, Bretagne Vivante, the League for the Protection of Birds, but also associated experts such as the National Museum of Natural History, IFREMER and offices specialized independent studies enabled the project teams to acquire the knowledge necessary to design the park, while respecting its environment and biodiversity. Fauna and flora were subject to rigorous monitoring before and during the different phases of the construction site. This environmental monitoring will continue throughout the operation of the park, in particular to share data on the colonization of underwater structures which give rise to a new ecosystem within the park itself.
New French industrial breath
Launched in 2019, the construction of the Saint-Nazaire offshore wind farm has contributed significantly to the emergence of a new industrial sector in France. The contracts awarded have enabled French companies to increase their skills to gain competitiveness and thus conquer export markets. In total, during three years of construction, an average of 2,300 people were mobilized in France, including 1,200 in Pays de la Loire. The 80 nacelles, which generate electricity from the mechanical force of the wind, and the offshore electrical transformation substation, where the submarine cables that transport electricity to land converge, were manufactured in Saint -Nazaire, respectively in the GE Renewable Energy and Chantiers de l'Atlantique factories. This extraordinary industrial project made up of daring technical feats today opens up export market opportunities for the French companies which contributed to it.
Bruno Bensasson, Executive Director of the EDF group, in charge of renewable energies and Chairman and CEO of EDF Renouvelables, said :
“We are very proud to commission France’s first industrial-scale offshore wind farm. I would like to warmly thank all the EDF Renewables teams as well as those of our partners, Enbridge and CPP Investments, for the work accomplished. This renewable electricity production facility would not have been possible without close cooperation with the State and all local stakeholders, elected officials, environmental associations, fishermen, economic stakeholders and local residents. For 10 years, it has contributed to building the offshore wind sector in France and has mobilized very significant numbers of jobs during the construction site and now in the operational phase. This first wind farm is fully in line with the strategy of the EDF group which wishes to double its net renewable energy capacity in the world to reach 60 GW in 2030. It also contributes to the Government's National Low-Carbon Strategy which aims for neutrality carbon from 2050 through energy sobriety, nuclear power and the acceleration of renewables. ".
Bruce Hogg, Managing Director, Head of Sustainable Energy, CPP Investments, added : “We are proud to be part of a partnership with EDF Renewables and Enbridge which has enabled the successful completion of France's first major offshore wind project despite difficult economic and operational conditions. The Saint-Nazaire wind farm is the first in a long series of wind investments for us in France which will allow us to develop its energy sources and continue its energy transition. This will be a flagship project and an excellent example of our long-term commitment to developing large renewable energy projects through our global network of companies and partnerships in this area. ".
About EDF
A major player in the energy transition, the EDF group is an integrated energy company, present in all businesses: production, transport, distribution, trading, energy sales and energy services. Leader in low-carbon energies in the world, the Group has developed a diversified production mix based mainly on nuclear and renewable energy (including hydraulics) and is investing in new technologies to support the energy transition. EDF's purpose is to build a CO2-neutral energy future reconciling preservation of the planet, well-being and development, thanks to electricity and innovative solutions and services. The Group participates in the supply of energy and services to approximately 38.5 million customers (1), including 29.3 million in France (2). In 2021, it achieved a consolidated turnover of 84.5 billion euros. EDF is a company listed on the Paris Stock Exchange.
(1) Customers have been counted since 2018 by delivery site; a customer can have two delivery points: one for electricity and another for gas.
(2) Including ÉS (Electrcité de Strasbourg) and SEI.
About EDF Renewables
EDF Renewables is an international leader
ation of renewable electricity production with installed wind and solar capacity of 15.6 GW gross (10.7 net) worldwide. Mainly present in Europe and North America, EDF Renewables continues its development by taking a position in promising emerging markets such as: Brazil, China, India, South Africa and the Middle East. Historically active in onshore wind power and photovoltaics, the Company is now strongly positioned in offshore wind power and new technologies such as energy storage. EDF Renewables ensures the development and construction of renewable energy projects as well as their operation and maintenance. EDF Renewables is a subsidiary of the EDF group.
For more information : www.edf-renouvelables.com
Follow us on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/edf-renouvelables and on Twitter @EDF_RE in French and @EDF_Renewables in English.
EDF Renewables Contacts
Manon of Cassini-Hérail
manon.decassini-herail@edf-re.fr
06 29 48 43 40
Eugenie Gai
06 10 89 41 24
Emilien Lacroix
06 38 96 49 48
About Enbridge
Enbridge Inc. is North America's leading energy infrastructure company with strategic business platforms including an extensive network of crude oil, liquids and natural gas pipelines, regulated natural gas distribution utilities and production facilities. production of renewable energy. The Company safely delivers more than 3 million barrels of crude oil through its Mainline and Express Pipeline. This volume represents approximately 62 T3T of Canadian crude oil exports to the United States. Additionally, by serving major supply basins and markets, the company delivers approximately 18 % of all natural gas consumed in the United States. The Company's regulated utilities serve approximately 3.7 million retail customers in Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. Additionally, Enbridge has interests in renewable energy facilities with over 1,700 MW of net generating capacity in North America and Europe. The Company's common shares are listed on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges under the symbol ENB.
Contact Enbridge
Mandy Dinning
media@enbridge.com
About CPP Investments
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments) is a professional investment management organization that manages the fund for the benefit of more than 20 million Canada Pension Plan contributors and beneficiaries. To diversify asset portfolios, investments are made around the world in public and private equity, real estate, infrastructure and fixed income securities. CPP Investments, whose governance and management are separate from those of the Canada Pension Plan, operates at arm's length from governments. It is headquartered in Toronto with offices in Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, New York, San Francisco, São Paulo and Sydney. As of March 31, 2021, the fund totaled 497.2 billion Canadian dollars.”
Contact CCP Investments
Steve McCool