As has been previously announced, French power utility EDF EN and French maritime defense specialist DCNS, are deploying the current generation CETO 4 unit on La Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean.
The Réunion Island Project is funded by EDF EN and both the French and La Réunion Governments. The manufacture and installation of the unit is being managed by DCNS.
Stage 1 of the Réunion Island project involves the deployment of a 10m diameter autonomous CETO unit and accompanying subsea energy management system. EDF EN has previously informed Carnegie that the energy management system and the CETO unit have been successfully installed except for the CETO buoy which was waiting a sufficiently calm weather window for towing from its location in the northern part of the island to the Project site off the south side of the island. Installation was subsequently delayed due to missing the weather window for buoy installation and was then expected to be completed before the end of 2012.
In the interim, EDF EN has informed Carnegie that the buoy has completed its tow tests successfully however, given some of the system components have been installed subsea for 12 months, DCNS, will now perform inspection and maintenance activities to ensure that the system performs as designed once the buoy is installed. This process is expected to complete in the New Year and Carnegie is now anticipating commissioning during Quarter One 2013.
DCNS is using a deployment methodology that is closely related to the methodology Carnegie used for the CETO 3 unit demonstration at Garden Island in 2011. As previously announced, Carnegie will be using the next generation CETO 5 unit for the Perth Wave Energy Project which leverages oil and gas style “quick connect” technology which will significantly decrease unit installation time.
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Press release, January 02, 2013; Image: carnegiewave