EDF Renewables attracts new investor for UK Blyth offshore wind farm

EDF Renewables UK has attracted Tenaga Nasional Berhad (KLSE:TENAGA), Malaysia's largest power utility, as a new investor in its Blyth offshore wind farm off the coast of Northumberland in northeast England, it announced on Wednesday.

The British unit of French electric utility EDF SA's (EPA:EDF) renewables arm has sold 49% of Blyth Offshore Demonstrator Ltd (BODL) to Tenaga unit Vantage RE Ltd for an undisclosed amount. EDF Renewables UK will keep the remaining 51%.

BODL owns the 41.5-MW operational wind park and the development rights for the Blyth floating offshore wind farm project with a planned capacity of up to 58.4 MW.

EDF Renewables will continue to provide asset management services to the existing wind park and to lead the development of the floating project, making use of new technologies in offshore wind energy. Blyth was the first in the UK to use float and submerge gravity base foundations at completion of its first phase in 2017.

"[These kind of partnerships] allow us to invest in new renewables projects such as our recent acquisitions including the Codling offshore wind park development in Ireland, and a number of solar projects to be built next year in the UK," EDF Renewables UK chief executive Matthieu Hue said. The company has over 5 GW of projects in development across Britain and Ireland.

The deal with Tenaga is seen to align with the French energy group's strategy of reaching 60 GW of net renewable capacity worldwide through 2030.

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