French offshore project will be subject to public debates

FRANCE: Public debates about the two offshore projects awarded in June off Le Tréport and the Ile de Noirmoutier will take place next year, the government has announced.

by Jan Dodd 19 December 2014

Such debates are a requirement for all major infrastructure projects costing more than €300 million and deemed to be of 'national interest' by the National Commission for Public Debate (CNDP).

The results are not binding but they can prompt developers to amend their plans.

Both projects were awarded to a consortium of GDF Suez, EDP Renewables and Neoen Marine, in partnership with Areva-Gamesa, which will supply 62 8MW turbines to each of the projects.

A much larger project at Le Tréport – 705MW – went through a public debate in 2010, in association with La Compagnie du Vent. However, CNDP decided that the current project is sufficiently different to justify a new debate.

While the debates have not yet been scheduled, CNDP must ensure the process is completed and the final summaries published by 25 November 2015.