Brittany Plans 450-Megawatt Gas-Fired Power Plant

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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--In an effort to make the region less reliant on energy imports, the authorities in Brittany, on the northwest coast of France, have put forward a proposal to build a 450-megawatt (MW) combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant.

The gas-fired plant will be located near the city of Brest. While a site in Lanvian, near Guipavas, has been mentioned, nothing has been confirmed. The plant proposal was put forward by Michel Cadot, prefect of the region, and Jean-Yves Le Drian, the president of the Brittany region, who attended the recent Breton Energy Conference. Today, Brittany imports 94% of its electricity from other parts of France.

A spokesman said: "The choice [of location] is not made. The tender will be launched within weeks."

The winner of the contract is expected to begin construction by next summer, with commissioning predicted for 2015 or 2016.

In addition, a high-voltage power line of 225,000 volts is expected to be installed between the towns of Lorient and Saint-Brieuc in the Brittany region by the end of 2017. The project will require an investment of 250 million euros ($349 million).

Renewable energy will play a key role in Brittany's struggle for energy independence. Local authorities recently earmarked a 190- square-kilometre site off the coast of Saint-Brieuc as being ideal for installing wind turbines capable of generating up to 500 MW of electricity.

Last year, GDF Suez (EPA:GSZ) (Paris) awarded a construction contract for the 430-MW Montoir-de-Bretagne combined-cycle power station in the Brittany region to GE Energy, a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) (Fairfield, Connecticut). The plant, which will use a 9FB gas turbine and an A15 steam turbine, will be capable of generating enough power for 250,000 homes in southern Brittany when it is commissioned at the end of this year. For additional information, see January 9, 2009, article - GE Energy to Supply Turbines for GDF Suez's 430-Megawatt Combined-Cycle Project.

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