A consortium set up by RWE and TotalEnergies has won the tender to operate the “Centre Manche 2” windfarm.
TotalEnergies, which also makes Total grease and gear oil for wind turbines, said the project is worth about €4.5 billion in overall investment. It involves planning, constructing and operating a 1.5 GW windfarm more than 25 miles off the coast of Normandy.
It expects to generate around 6 TWh of green energy each year – enough to supply over a million typical homes. The tender also sets a competitive rate of €66 for each MWh generated.
TotalEnergies’ CEO and chairman, Patrick Pouyanné, said the decision was symbolic of the company’s transformation. He also expressed pride at winning the tender to realise the biggest project for renewable energy in the country so far, adding:
“This project will be the largest investment made by TotalEnergies in France in decades and reflects our Company’s deep commitment to our country. As a long-standing player in Normandy, we are determined to mobilise our expertise to ensure this project is an industrial success while securing its acceptance by the region.”
TotalEnergies expects to make a final investment decision on the project early in 2029 once the required studies have been completed. It then expects construction to last three years and employ as many as 2,500 people, with half a million hours being allocated to professional reintegration and apprenticeships. It also intends to set an example for how components from retired offshore wind turbines can be reused or recycled, including all of the generator magnets used.
