Court logs three appeals of permit for Saint-Nazaire offshore wind project

Three environmental associations have appealed the permit of the offshore wind power project of EDF Energies Nouvelles at Saint-Nazaire.

The objections, filed at the Administrative Court of Appeal in Nantes, argue that the environmental impact of the project has not been properly assessed and the park should be much further into the sea.

The renewable energy arm of French power utility EDF (EPA:EDF), together with Canadian energy company Enbridge Inc (TSE:ENB) obtained the approval of French local authorities to start "installation and operation" of the 480 MW project in July. The appeal period closed on July 25.

Three associations, Prosimar from the Pornichet commune, GRSB from the La Baule commune and Aspen from the Pouliguen commune, all in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France, have submitted their objections, Alain Dore, coordinator of the "Defense de la mer" (DLM) initiative which opposes the project, told news agency AFP.

The Saint-Nazaire offshore wind power plant is planned to comprise 80 Haliade wind turbines, now manufactured by GE (NYSE:GE) in Sainte-Nazaire. The 6 MW machines are to be installed some 12 km off the coast of the Guerande peninsula in western France.

The DLM initiative wants the project to be pushed by between 5 to 10 km further into the sea on concerns about the scenery, tourism and marine environment.

EDF EN will also probably face opposition to its other offshore wind project -- the 498 MW Fecamp (Seine-Maritime) where 83 wind turbines are to be installed some 13 km off the coast. Appeals for this project can be logged by August 22, 2016.

Each of the wind farms is estimated to cost between EUR 2 and EUR 2.5 billion (USD 2.2 - 2.8bn) to build. The final investment decision has to be taken in the first half of 2017 so that commissioning can take place by 2020.

(EUR 1 = USD 1.100)

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