Saint-Brieuc, the first French offshore wind farm developed by Iberdrola and its fourth offshore wind project in Europe, has officially begun supplying power to the French national electricity grid, located in Brittany. Managed by RTE (Réseau de Transport d’Électricité), the venture is only the second offshore wind project to produce power in the country.
The production of the large-scale wind farm will increase as 62 wind turbines are installed and commissioned in the months ahead. Ultimately, the project will produce 9% of Brittany’s total electricity consumption.
After a testing phase, the initial electricity to flow from the wind farm was connected to the grid on July 5 under the supervision of Iberdrola’s maritime coordination center based in Kerantour (Côtes d’Armor).
Emmanuel Rollin, CEO of Iberdrola France, notes: “This is a landmark moment, following 12 years of hard work to deliver this mega-scale project, which contributes both to the energy security of Brittany and to the energy transition, a key element in the battle against climate change.”
The offshore electrical substation located in the center of the wind farm collects the electricity produced. It is transported by two sub-sea export cables with a voltage of 225 kV installed by RTE to Caroual beach, in Erquy. Electricity is connected to the grid via the Doberie substation located in Hénansal (Côtes-d’Armor).
The project will produce about 1,820 GWh per year, which corresponds to the annual electricity consumption of 835,000 inhabitants (including heating) or 9% of Brittany’s total electricity consumption. Once the offshore wind farm is fully commissioned, the territory of Côtes-d’Armor (home to 600,000 people) will produce more energy than it consumes domestically.
