Spanish utility Iberdrola SA has officially inaugurated the 496-MW Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm, marking a significant milestone for France's offshore wind sector.
Located off the coast of Brittany, this project represents one of the country's first large-scale offshore wind developments and has an estimated investment of EUR 2.4 billion (USD 2.7 billion).
The construction of the wind farm began in 2012 and was completed after three years of intensive development, with commissioning occurring in May. The facility is equipped with 62 turbines, each with a capacity of 8 MW, and is expected to generate nearly 2,000 GWh annually—enough to supply power to approximately 1 million people.
Iberdrola's executive chairman, Ignacio Galan, emphasized the project's significance, stating, “This project lays the foundations for the offshore wind sector in France and clearly demonstrates the potential that this technology has to boost energy security and the reindustrialisation of Europe, while contributing to climate objectives, in line with the Draghi report.”
The successful completion of Saint-Brieuc involved collaboration with key contractors, including Siemens-Gamesa, which supplied the wind turbines, and the Navantia Windar consortium, responsible for the foundations and transition pieces. Additionally, Haizea produced the towers, Prysmian handled the cabling, and Van Oord managed the installation.
Notably, Siemens Gamesa manufactured the turbines at a newly established facility in Le Havre, while components for the jacket foundations were partly built and assembled in the Port of Brest.
With the inauguration of Saint-Brieuc, Iberdrola now operates four offshore wind farms, adding to its existing projects in the UK and Germany. The company is currently constructing four additional projects, including Baltic Eagle in Germany, Vineyard Wind 1 in the US, East Anglia Three in the UK, and Windanker in Germany. Recently, it has also secured contracts for East Anglia Two in the UK and New England Wind 1 in the US, further solidifying its position in the renewable energy sector.
