Details For 300 MW Fessenheim PV Project

• The 300 MW solar PV deployment at the Fessenheim nuclear power plant site will have ground mount and two categories of rooftop solar
• Ground mounted PV capacity will be offered in the range of 500 kW and 30 MW
• Rooftop solar installations will be between 500 kW and 8 MW under first category, and within 100 kW and 500 kW for second category
• Rooftop installations will come up on buildings, greenhouses, carports, or agricultural buildings
• The first phase will be implemented in 2018, the second and third phases in 2019

Details have emerged regarding the proposed solar power plant installation of 300 MW at the Fessenheim Nuclear Power Plant in France. A meeting was held in June 2018 to discuss the solar project where the Directorate-General for Energy and Climate (DGEC) shared tender details.

The 1.6 GW Fessenheim nuclear power plant is set for closure by its operator EDF Energy. There are plans to use the site for a solar power plant, for which France wants to issue a competitive tender (see France Mulling 300 MW PV Tender).

Of the 300 MW capacity to be offered for deployment, 200 MW is planned to come from ground mount PV and the remaining 100 MW from rooftop solar. Now, according to the DGEC presentation, the ground mount installations will have a capacity ranging between 500 kW to 30 MW. Rooftop solar will have two categories. Under the first category, installations between 500 kW and 8 MW will be installed on buildings, greenhouses, carports, or agricultural buildings. The second category will see installations of similar rooftop systems but in the range of 100 kW and 500 kW.

The PV project will be auctioned in three phases:

• Phase I will be implemented in late 2018 when 40 MW will be allotted for ground mount installations, as well as 15 MW and 5 MW for the first and second categories of rooftop installations, respectively.

• The second phase is scheduled for mid-2019 when 80 MW will be awarded for ground mount, and 30 MW and 10 MW for first and second rooftop categories.

• The last phase will be tendered at the end of 2019 when another 80 MW will be let out for ground mount and 30 MW and 10 MW will be awarded for first and second categories of rooftop projects.

The government plans to pay a premium feed-in-tariff (FiT) for ground mount projects up to 30 MW capacity between €50 to €70 ($58 to $81) per MWh. Rooftop projects in the next two categories will be eligible for regular FiTs. Installations between 500 kW to 8 MW will get between €70 to €100 ($81 to $116) per MWh, and those between 100 kW and 500 kW can expect €80 to €110 ($93 to $128) per MWh.

Additional bonuses will be given to projects that source some finance through crowdfunding efforts.