Alain Triolle, Prefect of Ardèche, Jacques Genest, Senator of Ardèche and the Mayors of the six municipalities hosting the Montagne Ardéchoise wind farm inaugurated this morning, with Antoine Cahuzac, Executive Director of the EDF Group in charge of the Energy Division Renewables and Managing Director of EDF Energies Nouvelles, the Montagne-Ardéchois wind farm, the most powerful in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
In order to pursue its development ambition in the Region, EDF Energies Nouvelles opened a renewable energy project development agency in June.
The Montagne-Ardéchoise wind farm is located in six municipalities in the Ardèche department (Saint Etienne de Lugdarès, Lesperon, Lavillatte, Issanlas, Le Plagnal and Laveyrune).
The renewable installation includes 29 turbines for an installed capacity of 73.5 MW. The energy generated is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of more than 80,000 inhabitants, or approximately 25% of the Ardèche population.
Lasting three years, the major project of this wind farm mobilized up to 150 people during its peak of activity. For the operation of the wind farm, a maintenance base built in Saint-Etienne-de-Lugdarès on the Ardèche plateau will allow the creation of six long-term local jobs.
With five installations totaling 137 MW, EDF Energies Nouvelle today operates nearly a third of the Region's wind capacity.
Confirming its desire to continue the development of renewable energies in the region, the company announces the creation of a regional agency dedicated to the development of wind and solar projects. The EDF Energies Nouvelles Auvergne-Rhône Alpes agency will be located in Limonest, in the Lyon metropolis, alongside EDF ENRS, the group's subsidiary specializing in distributed solar energy. It will initially mobilize five local jobs. Four project managers are under the direction of Francis Audigier, appointed Head of the agency.
From left to right : David Augeix, Director France South Region EDF Energies Nouvelles; Gérard Payen, President of the Drome Ardèche Isère Construction Federation; Jean Linossier, Mayor of Lesperon; Antoine Cahuzac, Executive Director of the EDF Group in charge of the Renewable Energies Sector and Managing Director of EDF Energies Nouvelles; Alain Triolle, Prefect of Ardèche; Jacques Genest, Senator of Ardèche, Mayor of Coucouron; Olivier Amrane, Special advisor on rurality to the President of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region; Marc Champel, Mayor of Saint-Etienne-de-Lugdarès, 1er Vice president of the Communauté de Communes Montagne d’Ardèche; Francis Audigier, Manager of the EDF Energies Nouvelles Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes agency.