GE Pulls Plug on Two French Offshore Wind Projects

GE Renewable Energy has signed a memorandum of understanding with Eolien Maritime France (EMF) to provide and service Haliade 150-6MW turbines to the first French EMF offshore wind farm to be cleared of any legal recourse.

This memorandum of understanding terminates GE’s exclusive supplier status on the two other projects carried out by EMF for which Siemens Gamesa will supply the turbines.

Currently, the three projects developed by EMF off Courseulles-sur-Mer, Saint-Nazaire and Fécamp are still awaiting the last court decisions, following appeals against the administrative authorizations required for their implementation, GE said.

GE decided to review its engagement in the implementation of the projects citing as the reason cumulative excessive delays since 2012 related to these claims which ”have significantly impacted the financial characteristics of those projects for GE Renewable Energy.” 

GE said that since the award of the three offshore wind farms to EMF in 2012, ”GE Renewable Energy has committed the necessary resources and investments to design and manufacture the turbines, with the installation of a dedicated engineering office in Nantes and the construction of its manufacturing plant in Saint-Nazaire, which has enabled GE to produce already more than 80 turbines for other offshore wind farms in Europe, Asia and North America.”

GE added that the company’s resources from Saint-Nazaire, Nantes, and Cherbourg will be used to execute the EMF project, as well as to ensure the development, commercialization, and delivery of the Haliade-X 12MW turbines.