The original permit, delivered in 2011, was only granted for five years. Alstom says it is currently studying the possibility of applying for an extension.
The prototype Haliade was installed at Le Carnet, near the port of St-Nazaire, in 2012 as part of the certification programme.
"It was a challenge getting a permit for the turbine," Jonathan Mechenau, Alstom's floating and foundations project manager, said at French renewable energy association SER's recent conference.
Alstom earns the standard tariff of EUR 82/MWh for the electricity produced.
The difficulties of getting the offshore prototype permitted in France led Alstom to install its second Haliade machine at the Belwind site in Belgium.
