A total of 1GW is up for grabs, split evenly between Le Tréport off the coast of Normandy, and the islands of Yeu and Noirmoutier in the Pays de la Loire region. The deadline for bids is 29 November.
GDF Suez teamed up with Areva to pitch in the first round, but its bid for the 750MW project at Le Tréport was rejected by the government because the proposed tariff was too high. Le Tréport is now being offered again, but with the capacity reduced to 500MW.
Following that setback, GDF Suez established a 50:50 joint venture with Portuguese utility EDP Renewables for the second bid.
Areva's 5MW M5000 offshore turbine, first deployed at the Alpha Ventus wind project in the German North Sea, will be used if the consortium is successful.
"We are pleased to have been selected by the consortium," said Areva CEO Luc Oursel. "The Areva wind turbine will successfully address the technical, financial, industrial, social and environmental criteria defined by the government in order to win the second call for tender."
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