France's second offshore tender is likely to be launched in January 2013, energy minister Delphine Batho announced at the annual wind energy conference of the Renewable Energy Syndicate, a trade association, in Nantes on Thursday.
The government originally said it would launch the tender by the end of 2012. However, the tender terms were only recently sent to energy regulator CRE for its views, as required by law. It normally takes at least three weeks for CRE to formulate a response.
As expected, the tender will comprise just two zones: 705MW off Le Tréport in the English Channel, which is carried over from the first tender, and 600MW near the Isle of Noirmoutier off Saint Nazaire.
Although the terms are still to be revealed, there is no shortage of interest. EDF Energies Nouvelles, Iberdrola and Eole-RES, which were retained in the first tender, expect to participate, as do GDF-Suez, Nass&Wind Offshore, WPD Offshore, Neoen and EDP Renewables France.
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