1. RTE awards €4.5bn contract to Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Hitachi Energy for offshore and onshore infrastructure in Normandy and Oléron, France.
2. Contract includes manufacturing three offshore DC electrical platforms and three onshore conversion stations for wind farms.
3. Chantiers de l’Atlantique brings experience in constructing offshore platforms, while Hitachi Energy specializes in HVDC technology for renewable energy integration.
A consortium of Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Hitachi Energy Grid Integration has been awarded a €4.5bn contract by French transmission system operator RTE to construct offshore and onshore infrastructure for wind farms in Normandy and Oléron, France. This includes the manufacturing of three offshore direct current electrical platforms and three onshore conversion stations for the Centre Manche 1 and 2 offshore wind farms in Normandy, and the Oléron offshore wind farm. The platforms, each with a 1.25GW capacity, represent a scale-up in offshore renewable electricity production. Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Hitachi Energy’s HVDC transmission systems will facilitate the integration of 3.5GW of renewable energy into the RTE network.
Chantiers de l’Atlantique, with experience in constructing offshore platforms for wind farms across France and Europe, brings manufacturing, construction, and integration capabilities to the project. Hitachi Energy’s expertise in HVDC technology was previously selected for interconnections between Great Britain, France, and Spain. The consortium was chosen to implement the conversion stations for the upcoming wind farms, reflecting a significant development in the offshore wind power industry. Hitachi Energy grid integration business managing director expressed pride in helping bring renewable power to the French grid, highlighting the strategic expansion of their global delivery capacity. Chantiers de l’Atlantique’s managing director stated readiness for the construction and installation of the DC platforms, emphasizing trust from RTE and Hitachi Energy in this major industrial undertaking.