Renewable energy developer Boralex has closed €106m (C$165m) financing for four wind farms under construction in France.

Boralex

Image: Boralex to build four wind farms in France. Photo: Courtesy of Oimheidi/Pixabay.

The wind farms include the 20MW Basse Thiérache Nord, 10MW Catésis, 24MW Seuil du Cambrésis along with repowering of the Cham Longe wind farm from 18MW to 35MW. Boralex stated that these wind farms will be commissioned 2019 and 2020.

The financing has been provided by Crédit Industriel et Commercial, Auxifip, Caisse Régionale de Crédit   Agricole Mutuel Nord de France, CM-CIC Infra Debt Fund and BPI France Financement.

The Basse Thiérache Nord wind farm is located in the Aisne department (France), on the municipality of Oisy. The wind farm will include 6 of Vetsas’ 3.3MW turbines. It is expected to be commissioned in the first half of this year.

The Catésis wind farm will be located in the Nord departement (France), on the municipalitiy of Catillon-sur-Sambre and Bazuel and will include 5 of Vestas V100 turbines with 2MW capacity.

The Seuil du Cambrésis wind farm will be located in Nord department (France), on the municipalities of Ribecourt-la-Tour, Noyelles-sur-Escaut and Cantaing-sur-Escaut and will be powered by 7 of Vestas V117 turbines, each with 3.4MW capacity. Boralex expects that the wind farm will be commissioned this October.

The Cham Longe wind farm has 14 turbines, with an installed capacity of 18MW. Boralex will repower the wind farm from 18MW to 35MW. The company stated that it will completely dismantle the wind turbines, including the foundations and will replace them with latest equipment. Repowering of the wind farm is expected to take place next year.

The wind farm has been operating for 15 years now and is located in department of Ardèche, in the communes of Saint-Étienne-de-Lugdarès and Astet.

In addition to the long-term tranches totalling €106m, the financing also includes short-term tranches totaling €17.8m (C$27.8m) to meet temporary funding requirements related to French value-added tax.

Last month, the company had commissioned the 23MW Sources de l’Ancre wind farm, located in the Somme department of France. The wind farm has increased its portfolio to 921MW in France and total of 1.9GW worldwide.

Power from this wind farm will be sold under 15-year power purchasing agreement (PPA) to Electricité de France (EDF), effective from 1 January this year.