Spanish-owned Iberdrola, Europe’s third biggest power company as ranked by company value, has commissioned the 496 MW park off Saint-Brieuc, facing Jersey.

The first of the farm’s 62 marine turbines were erected in 2021. Saint-Brieuc will produce 1,820GWh each year, around 9% of all electricity consumed across the entire province.

Only the 714MW East Anglia One park in the North Sea is more powerful of Iberdrola’s three other farm already generating in European waters. The company’s 1.4 GW East Anglia Three project is under construction, as is its 476MW Baltic Eagle venture off Germany.

Iberdrola is also building the USA’s first big marine turbine cluster, the 806 MW Vineyard Wind farm off Massachusetts.

Saint-Brieuc will outperform Ibedrola’s 389MW Duddon Sands park in the Irish Sea and the 350MW Wikinger farm in the Baltic.

Its 62 turbines, each rated at 8MW, is now feeding into the French grid, managed by RTE. The nuclear power of state-controlled EdF continues to dominate France’s electricity market, accounting for up to 78%.

Iberdrola provided all the €2.4 billion which Saint-Brieuc cost to build. Its development began in April 2012.

Construction of the wind farm has mobilised more than 1700 jobs in France, nearly a third of them in Brittany. Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy built Saint-Brieuc’s turbines at its new industrial site in Le Havre.

Navantia Windar assembled the jacket foundations. Electrical contractors Haizea Breizh, also on the Brest polder, assembled the masts’ electrical equipment.

“We are particularly proud to announce the full commissioning of Saint-Brieuc, twelve years after we were named the bid’s winner, “said Emmanuel Rollin, Iberdrola’s director for France.

“The challenge for us, as a European leader in renewables, was to create the foundations of a sustainable industrial sector for French offshore wind power. We have worked hard to involve local companies in this project by supporting them in this fast-growing segment ,” said his colleague Stéphane-Alain Riou, director of offshore wind energy

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A boost early in 2024 by its SP Energy Networks business for suppliers of capital goods is the company’s biggest issued contract opportunity ever and will see major investment in green energy infrastructure and green jobs which will bolster the grid for decades to come.

With electricity demand forecast to double in the next ten years, the International Energy Agency says the UK needs more than 600,000km of new or upgraded electricity lines to meet its needs.  

 A division of Bilbao-headquartered transnational Iberdrola, ScottishPower says it is at the forefront of unlocking green growth and now has billions of pounds in contracts on offer for the supply chain to support its electricity network ambitions and a net zero future.  

 Keith Anderson, ScottishPower CEO, said: “We’re kickstarting the largest overhaul of the grid since its inception. Our investment plans will help grow our electricity networks, grow our workforce and will provide a massive opportunity for the supply chain whilst unlocking growth for the wider economy.”

“It is vital we get serious about getting on with the job of consenting and getting this new grid built so that we can take advantage of clean green renewables, transport it around the country and lock in our energy security and maintain the UK’s track record in leading on decarbonisation”

 ScottishPower’s grid business SP Energy Networks is now encouraging companies with the skills and experience to bid for contracts to design, develop and upgrade new and existing strategic transmission infrastructure.  

 This will include new high voltage substations, overhead line construction as well as design, engineering, construction, and electrical works.  

Vicky Kelsall, CEO of SP Energy Networks, said: “This is one of the most significant infrastructure roll outs to upgrade the grid to support the electricification of the wider economy. We’ve got the plans and we’ve got the financial capital to invest, and the UK supply chain stands ready to benefit to the tune of billions.”

Covering the decade to 2034, the £5.4bn portfolio features transmission projects across central and southern Scotland, connecting 80 to 85GW of clean renewable energy to the GB transmission system.  It will help move more green energy across the country and reduce the UK’s reliance on fossil fuels.   

In November, the UK government announced plans to halve the time it takes to build high voltage power lines and cut the time it takes to connect to the grid. Its package of measures aims to support economic growth and cement Britain as one of the best countries in the world to invest in renewables.  

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