• France has selected 12 projects to install 62.8 MW of solar power capacity at the Fessenheim location under first tender launched to replace Fessenheim Nuclear Power Plant
  • The oversubscribed tender attracted €66.05 per MWh as the average winning bid
  • Two more solar PV tender rounds will be launched in January 2020 and July 2020 for 120 MW each to complete 300 MW allocation

The French Ministry of Ecological and Solidarity Transition has awarded 62.8 MW of solar PV capacity to 12 winning projects under the first PV tender to replace the Fessenheim nuclear power plant. The tender was oversubscribed with 200 MW of bids coming in against 60 MW on offer under the first tender for the transition of the Fessenheim area.

Finally, 62.8 MW was allocated for an average winning price of €66.05 ($72.27) per MWh. The ministry called the selected projects ‘competitive’ and claimed these could have been selected if they had participated in the national tenders.

“I am proud of the success of this first period of the tender on the territory of the Haut-Rhin and the exceptional mobilization of local elected officials and state services that have led to the birth of quality photovoltaic projects. in very short times,” said Secretary of State to the Minister of Ecological and Solidarity Transition.

The remaining two tenders for 120 MW each will be launched in January 2020 and July 2020. The Fessenheim Nuclear Power Plant is due to be fully retired by June 2020.

The list of winners can be viewed on the ministry’s website.

The European Commission gave a go-ahead to the PV tender of 300 MW in January 2019 when the ministry said the 300 MW will be divided in the form of 200 MW of ground based power plants, 75 MW of large-scale rooftop solar installations and 25 MW of small rooftop systems (see France 300 MW Solar Tender).