Eiffage, through its subsidiary Smulders, has been awarded a major contract by the French transmission system operator (TSO) to develop and build three substations for French offshore wind farms. The engineering, procurement, construction, installation, and commissioning contract is worth more than EUR 1.5 billion. The contract encompasses the development of substations for three specific offshore wind projects: Bretagne Sud, Narbonnaise Sud-Hérault, and Golfe de Fos.

Each substation will have a capacity of 750 MW, with the three facilities collectively handling the connection to the power transmission grid of more than 2 GW of decarbonized electricity.

Technical Specifications and Construction Details

The contract covers the construction of jacket foundations and their topsides, which will house the electrical equipment. The technical specifications vary between the projects, with the Bretagne Sud project requiring jackets that are 115 meters high, 25 meters wide, and 35 meters long. For the Narbonnaise Sud-Hérault and Golfe de Fos projects, the jackets will be approximately 110 meters high, 45 meters wide, and 50 meters long.

The topsides will weigh approximately 5,000 tonnes and measure over 20 meters in height, 35 meters in width, and 70 meters in length. These structures will contain the critical electrical equipment necessary for the substations to function.

Manufacturing and Assembly Locations

The various components of these substations will be entirely manufactured in the factories of Smulders and its industrial partners located in France and Europe. The manufacturing process will be divided between two key locations for assembly. The jacket foundations will be assembled at Eiffage Métal's site in Fos-sur-Mer, France. Meanwhile, the topsides will be assembled at the facility in Vlissingen, Netherlands. This distribution of assembly work across multiple locations demonstrates the international scope of the project's manufacturing operations.

Related French Offshore Wind Development

The substation contract is connected to broader French offshore wind development initiatives. In May 2024, a consortium between Elicio and BayWa r.e. won the AO5 tender for the development of a 250 MW floating offshore wind project off the south coast of Brittany. The AO6 tender offered two 250 MW floating wind sites in the Mediterranean Sea. The winners of this tender were a consortium comprising Ocean Winds and Banque des Territoires, and a separate consortium between EDF Renewables and Maple Power.

Additionally, the AO9 tender offers four new sites for offshore wind development, indicating continued expansion of France's offshore wind sector.

Connect with Decision-makers about the Latest Offshore Wind Farm Projects in France for business Opportunities.

Subscribe to our database on Offshore Wind Farm Projects and Tenders in France to get access to reliable and high-quality insights on upcoming, under-construction, and completed Offshore Wind Farm Projects across the world or in your desired geographical location.

Our user-friendly platform provides essential details, timely updates, key stakeholder contact information, and business opportunities tailored for engineering companies, industry professionals, investors, and government agencies.