Gallery: SEENEOH tidal site set for completion mid-February

SEENEOH tidal test center is wrapping up the construction works at the Garonne river in Bordeaux with the final test berth set for installation this month.

The assembly of the third and final floating tidal testing berth for the SEENEOH project, named Bilbao, is currently ongoing at the slipway of the Bordeaux port.

Bilbao platform will be towed to the SEENEOH site mid-February to join the two berths, named Quebec and Bristol as a tribute to Bordeaux twin cities, which have been completed and operational since December 2016.

The site began construction in early 2016 with onshore works on the electrical connection on the Richelieu wharf, which continued with the nautical works that started in September the same year, and comprised the installation of the subsea cable, iron ballast sheets, and anchors consisting of 14 concrete blocks, each weighing 18 tons.

SEENEOH test has been granted the permission to operate for 7 years by the City of Bordeaux.

The three testing berths are connected to the onshore substation through their export cables, with a grid connection that has a total capacity of 250kW.

The berths have been designed to test tidal devices with either mounted or floating fixation type, while the SEENEOH site will also offer energy performance monitoring and certification, coordinated by the VALOREM group.

Also, it will provide environmental impact assessment and certification, coordinated by Énergie de la Lune; mechanical monitoring, done by CERENIS; and operations and maintenance services to be conducted by VALEMO, part of VALOREM group.

The site is expected to welcome its first users in the summer 2017.

To remind, French public sector financial institution Caisse des Dépôts recently provided a repayable grant in the amount of €400,000 to the SEENEOH site, completing the necessary financing for the project, estimated to amount to €3 million.

The construction of the site is being conducted by SEML Route des Lasers.

(Photos by SEENEOH)