Industrial giant Cegelec's builds four projects totalling 69 MW

The French industrial and technological services group Cegelec is to put four new wind farms into operation before the end of the year, including France's largest so far. With a combined output of 69 MW, the four developments will almost double the total wind power installed in France in 2004. Foremost is the 37.5 MW Haute-Lys plant (“uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç, September 2003) in the Pas-de-Calais department of northern France. To comply with the 12 MW limit, the 25 GE Wind Energy 1.5 MW turbines are divided into four separate groups. The project was developed by Cegelec in association with Espace Eolien Développement (EED) and delivered key-in-hand to owner-operator Sechilienne Sidec, part of the Air Liquide Group, in October. Cegelec and EED also co-developed the other three wind plant due to be commissioned in the next few weeks: the 17.25 MW Montjoyer-Rochefort-en-Valdaine project, consisting of 23 Jeumont 750 kW turbines, in the south-easterly Drôme department; the 9 MW Peyrelevade installation in the central Corrèze department, with six GE Wind Energy 1.5 MW turbines; and the 5.25 MW Ploumoguer station in Finistère, Brittany, with seven Vestas NM 750 kW machines. All three projects were developed on a turn-key basis on behalf of local operating companies. Cegelec now claims a 25% market share of France's installed wind power. Although France is its main focus, the company is also active in a number of other countries, including the UK and Morocco.