Press release
Ailes Marines has selected the French companies Eiffage Métal and Engie Solutions for the manufacture of the electrical substation
for the offshore wind farm in the Bay of Saint-Brieuc
Saint-Brieuc / Paris / September 7, 2020 – Ailes Marines , a company 100% owned by Iberdrola, in charge of the construction, installation and operation of the offshore wind farm in the Bay of Saint-Brieuc, announces today the award to the two French companies Eiffage Métal and ENGIE Solutions of the contract for the construction of the park's electrical substation.
The Eiffage Métal company will be in charge of the engineering and construction of the upper part of the substation, housing the transformers and electrical equipment.
The company will also manufacture the foundations of the substation. ENGIE Solutions will carry out the final assembly work and commissioning tests. The substation will collect the electricity produced by the 62 wind turbines by raising the electrical voltage, through power transformers.
The electricity will then be transported by the Electricity Transport Network (RTE) via two export cables with a voltage of 225,000 volts. The foundation of the electrical substation is 63 meters high with a total weight of 1,630 tonnes. The upper part of the substation is 55 meters long, 31 meters wide and 23 meters high, with a total weight of approximately 3,400 tonnes.
September
A European construction site, a source of industrialization and jobs
The manufacturing of the electrical substation will take place over several months.
The work will mainly be carried out at Eiffage facilities in Belgium (Arendonk, Balen, Tessenderlo, Hoboken) and Poland (Zary). ENGIE Solutions will carry out the final assembly operations in Hoboken (Belgium) and Vlissingen (Netherlands). The substation launched from Vlissingen will be delivered in 2022.
With this new contract, Iberdrola confirms both its commitment and its involvement in the green recovery and sustainable growth desired by the European Union and France. The Spanish company Iberdrola is also helping to modernize the shipbuilding industry in Europe.
Project development accelerates
Since the final investment decision, Ailes Marines has practically finalized the contractualization of all of its tier 1 suppliers for the constituent elements of the Saint-Brieuc fleet.
In September 2019, Ailes Marines selected the company Navantia to manufacture the foundations of the Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm. Since then, the company has settled in the Brest Polder. This activity will mobilize 250 jobs over 2 years.
In May 2020, Ailes Marines contracted several suppliers, including Siemens Gamesa for the supply of wind turbines to Le Havre, where construction of its factory has just begun. Ailes Marines also selected Prysmian as the supplier of the inter-wind turbine submarine cables, and Van Oord for the transport and installation work of the foundations of the park.
In July 2020, Ailes Marines selected Saipem for the transport and installation of the foundation and the upper part of the park's electrical substation.
Ailes Marines will soon announce the company selected for the latest contract relating to the supply and installation of the main electrical equipment for the park's substation.
The Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm
The Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm will be built in the bay of Saint-Brieuc in Brittany, 16.3 kilometers off the Breton coast.
Once completed, the wind farm with a capacity of 496 MW will produce 1,820 GWh per year, the equivalent of the annual electricity consumption of 835,000 inhabitants. Work to install the piles and foundations will start in the first half of 2021. The wind farm will be fully operational in 2023.
“This is the largest contract after those signed with Siemens Gamesa for the supply of wind turbines and with Navantia-Windar for the foundations. It is encouraging to see European governments presenting recovery plans in favor of national economies. Green infrastructure, as a major source of industrialization and skilled and sustainable jobs, is a path out of the crisis because it stimulates activity across the entire value chain. In this sense, the Saint-Brieuc Bay wind farm contributes to overcoming these difficult circumstances, thanks to the support of the team, our logistics chain and all stakeholders. We are delighted to see France accelerate its transition to a fully decarbonized green economy.”
About Ailes Marines
Winner in April 2012 of a national call for projects with the Saint-Brieuc Bay offshore wind farm project, AILES MARINES is in charge of the development, construction, installation and operation of the park. offshore wind farm. It is a simplified joint stock company (SAS), 100% owned by IBERDROLA.
The key figures of the Saint-Brieuc Bay offshore wind project:
- 75 km2 of area
- 62 Siemens-Gamesa 8 MW wind turbines
- 496 MW of installed power
- 1,820 GWh/year of production, i.e. the annual electricity consumption of 835,000 inhabitants (heating included)
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