Electricite de France SA and its Canadian and German associates have finalized the funding of a US$2.23 billion offshore wind project, allowing construction to start in the English Channel. EDF, Enbridge Inc. and Wpd AG plan to commission the 500-MW wind farm in 2023, the companies said in a statement recently. The facility near the Fecamp harbour in Normandy will use 71 wind turbines made by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy SA. France is falling behind countries such as the Britain, Germany and Denmark in offshore wind as projects have been delayed by legal proceedings from opponents, which have criticized their costs and environmental impact. The government, which wants to reduce the country’s dependence on ageing nuclear plants to make room for renewable energies, decided to accelerate offshore wind farm tenders as construction prices have slumped.

EDF and Enbridge each own 35% of the project and Wpd holds 65. The electricity generated by the Fecamp offshore wind project will provide enough annual electricity to meet the power needs for 770,000 people, according to their statement. It will benefit from a 20-year power purchase agreement granted by the French government. Lenders include the European Investment Bank, BNP Paribas SA, Credit Agricole SA and Societe Generale SA who will finance about 80 per-cent of the project, Eric Le Bousse, the head of marine energies in France at EDF Renewables, said in a conference call.

A 25-megawatt pilot project using a floating turbine in the Mediterranean is expected to be completed by 2022, while the 600-megawatt project near Dunkirk awarded last year to EDF, Enbridge and Innogy SE is due to be completed around 2027. While the Fecamp wind farm will sell electricity at 140 euros to 150 euros per megawatt-hour, the Dunkirk project will generate power at 64 euros per megawatt-hour when including the cost of the substation and of the connection to the grid, Bensasson, EDF Renewables Chief Executive Officer, said.