Ocean Winds, a joint venture between EDP Renewables and ENGIE, has completed the installation of the first wind turbine at the 500MW Dieppe Le Tréport offshore wind farm (EMDT) off the coasts of Le Tréport and Dieppe, France.
The EMDT project will feature 62 turbines and aims to provide renewable electricity equivalent to the annual consumption of approximately 850,000 people.
Ocean Winds, which holds the majority stake in the venture, is overseeing the project’s development and managing both the construction phase and planned operations.
Following the installation of the offshore substation, the first turbine is expected to begin producing electricity in the next few weeks.
Additional turbines will be connected to the grid sequentially, resulting in a gradual increase in renewable energy output from the site.
Ocean Winds France country manager Marc Hirt said: “The installation of the first turbine at Dieppe Le Tréport illustrates the scale and pace at which Ocean Winds is progressing offshore wind in France.
“Delivering this milestone while advancing several projects simultaneously across the country demonstrates the strength of our teams and our integrated approach.
“From bottom-fixed to floating technologies, across multiple regions, we are contributing to delivering clean, reliable energy and supporting the development of a strong industrial sector.”
Siemens Gamesa is supplying wind turbines, with key components such as nacelles and blades produced at its Le Havre facility.
Tower sections are manufactured in Bilbao and pre-equipped in Brest, while the foundations are built in Fene, Spain, and stored in Cherbourg before installation.
The offshore substation was constructed at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire and subsea cables are produced in Greece.
Offshore installation is managed by contractors such as Jan De Nul and DEME, with project logistics supported by ports along the Channel and North Sea coastlines.
As installation continues, the wind farm will gradually increase its contribution to France’s renewable energy supply, with each connected turbine adding to the overall electricity output in the coming months.
Ocean Winds has also completed the commissioning of the Îles d’Yeu et de Noirmoutier offshore wind farm and achieved initial power generation from the Éoliennes Flottantes du Golfe du Lion floating wind project.
In March this year, Ocean Winds signed a lease agreement with the Crown Estate in the UK to develop a 1.5GW floating offshore wind farm in the Celtic Sea.
