Negative
Setback or risk materialised
High Impact
Major milestone or critical setback
On 24 September 2025 the French government formally declared the AO7 Oléron 1 tender infructueux (unsuccessful) after the application period closed with zero bids from the nine pre-qualified developers. Despite a 20-year CfD framework with a €100/MWh ceiling, no developer submitted a final offer. Analysts and developers cited five factors: (1) tight project timelines leaving inadequate development runway; (2) pricing pressure relative to the development risk profile; (3) challenging site fundamentals — rocky seabed and exposed conditions off Île d'Oléron are harder than other French zones; (4) questioning of the site selection itself; and (5) global competition for capital with better-returning opportunities in US, UK, and Asian offshore wind markets. Crucially, the AO7 outcome is 'no winner this round', not 'site cancelled'. The Sud-Atlantique zone is preserved; RTE has continued preparatory grid-connection works (Hitachi/Chantiers de l'Atlantique HVDC platform contract, Nexans HVDC cable framework); and on 2 April 2026 the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty confirmed Oléron 1 will be reopened as part of the merged AO9/AO10 bundled mega-tender (≈10 GW combined, results expected end-2026 / early-2027). The site therefore remains in active development, with the new winner inheriting grid-ready infrastructure.