Matignicourt floating solar project (35 MWp) moves into construction in France

# What happened Neoen has entered the construction phase for the Matignicourt solar project in France's Marne region. The development has a total installed capacity of 35 MWp, of which 28 MWp will be a floating photovoltaic (PV) plant placed on a former quarry lake.

# Project configuration and responsibilities The project is being delivered by an EPC consortium with Equans acting as lead contractor. Ciel & Terre has been contracted specifically for the floating solar scope. Ciel & Terre's responsibilities cover design of the floating plant and its anchoring system, anchor installation, assembly of floats and PV modules, and the installation of floating islands on the lake.

# Site choice and land use Matignicourt uses the surface of a former quarry lake that is no longer operational. Installing the PV on an existing water body eliminates the need to create a new land footprint for this portion of the project. The site type follows a pattern in the region: several large floating PV projects are being developed on water bodies left by past industrial activity.

# Regional context Les Îlots Blandin, a 72 MWp floating solar plant identified as the largest floating PV project in Europe. That proximity places Matignicourt within a cluster of large-scale floating PV developments on former industrial water bodies.

# Construction status and next steps The announcement confirms the project has officially entered the construction phase. Specific commissioning dates or schedules were not provided in the briefing. On-site activities tied to the floating scope will include anchoring works, assembly of floats and modules, and installation of the floating islands as defined in Ciel & Terre's contract.

# Why this matters for developers and planners Locating floating PV on a disused quarry lake demonstrates a reuse approach that avoids new land take for generation capacity. It also shows the role of specialist contractors for floating systems—design, anchoring, and modular installation are handled by a firm with floating-PV experience while a larger EPC coordinates the broader delivery.

# Immediate takeaways for stakeholders

• Local planners and land managers: Repurposing former quarry lakes can add generation without competing for agricultural or other land uses.
• Contractors and suppliers: The project will require anchoring equipment, floats, module assembly capacity, and marine installation capability.

# What remains unspecified The announcement does not list expected commercial operation dates, detailed capacity breakdown beyond the 28 MWp floating element, grid connection arrangements, or environmental impact specifics beyond the general point that the floating array uses an existing water surface.

# Where Matignicourt fits Matignicourt is a mid-sized floating PV installation in France that aligns with recent activity in the Marne region for large floating arrays on former industrial water bodies. The developer and contractors named indicate a conventional split: a renewable asset owner (Neoen), a lead EPC (Equans), and a specialist floating-PV supplier and installer (Ciel & Terre).