SIMEC Atlantis Energy has announce that the Prefecture de la Manche has approved the transfer of the lease to develop a 12MW tidal power project in Raz Blanchard from ENGIE to Normandie Hydroliennes.

Normandie Hydroliennes is the marine energy development company set up between SIMEC Atlantis, the Development Agency for Normandy (AD Normandie), the regional agency for economic development in Normandy, the regional investment fund Normandie Participations and local industrial group EFINOR.

Over the past 12 months, Normandie Hydroliennes has worked with the French Environmental and Energy Management Agency (ADEME) and all relevant government ministries to obtain the appropriate transfer approvals for what will be the first stage of a potential multi-hundred-megawatt marine energy project at Raz Blanchard.

Raz Blanchard, Lower Normandy, is the strongest tidal current in France and holds 50 percent of the potential of national tidal power. Atlantis, which controls 49 percent of the JV, is the main shareholder and plans to extend this partnership into a broader tidal project in the territorial waters of Normandy and Alderney.

Normandie Hydroliennes has the long-term objective of harnessing up to 2GW of power from the Alderney Race, the8-mile strait between Alderney and La Hague, France, as well as more than 1GW of resource from adjacent concessions controlled by the States of Alderney.

“We are delighted to have received the relevant approvals to transfer this lease which will allow us to now immediately progress with the development of one of the largest tidal power arrays in Europe. The territorial waters of Normandy have huge untapped tidal power resource and material progress can now be made in setting up the infrastructure and supply chain required in Normandy to deliver this €50 million+ project.

“This approval will allow us to get on with the task of delivering sustainable power to this region while also creating local jobs and attracting substantial investment in the area. Normandie Hydrolienne is committed to ensuring that this array is the catalyst for the installation and delivery of at least 1GW of operational capacity in the Alderney Race, which could be quickly expanded to 2GW with the right investment, government support and collaboration with developers from across France.“

Tim Cornelius, CEO of SIMEC Atlantis Energy.