Vattenfall confirms prequalification for French floating wind tender

Swedish state-owned utility Vattenfall AB confirmed on Tuesday that it has been prequalified for an upcoming 500-MW floating wind tender in France.

The company will be bidding in a competitive process involving two areas of between 296 sq km and 364 sq km in the Gulf of Lion, each of which will be able to accommodate a 250-MW floating wind park that is expandable to 750 MW.

Earlier today, the French government selected Vattenfall and 12 other candidates to proceed to the next phase of the bidding process. The outcome of the tender should be unveiled by the end of 2023.

“The two proposed areas, and their future extensions, will bring important industrial and economic opportunities to the Mediterranean region. These projects fit with our strategy to consolidate our position as a leading global developer of offshore wind energy and contribute to our goal to enable fossil-free living within one generation,” commented Yara Chakhtoura, managing director of Vattenfall’s Wind business in France.

Presently, Vattenfall operates 3.5 GW of commissioned offshore wind capacity with 12 operating wind farms in five European countries. The company is also currently building two offshore wind farms and developing over 4 GW of additional projects.

In addition to this tender, Vattenfall is also participating in two other in France, one off the coast of Normandy and South Brittany. Both of these should be awarded in the first quarter of 2023.

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