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De Gaulle Fleurance advised Urbasolar on the conclusion of a long-term direct renewable electricity purchase agreement, or Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), with the Ministry of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs, covering the development, construction and operation of a solar power plant in Salbris, in the Loir-et-Cher department.
Our lawyers Jonathan Souffir, partner, Thomas Vaseux, senior counsel, and Béatrice Boisnier advised Urbasolar on the negotiation of this unprecedented PPA concluded with the Ministry of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs.
As the successful bidder for the contract awarded on 30 March 2026, Urbasolar will be responsible for the financing, development, construction and operation, for a period of thirty years, of a photovoltaic power plant with a capacity of approximately 42 MWp on a former military site which closed in 2018. This contractual arrangement represents a landmark transaction for the direct procurement of renewable electricity by public entities in France. By enabling the Ministry of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs to secure a supply of renewable electricity at a controlled price for thirty years, without any initial investment, it demonstrates the ability of public buyers and private operators to combine the energy transition, budgetary resilience and asset enhancement.
Located on a former 110-hectare disused munitions depot, the Salbris site will undergo an exemplary redevelopment. Thirty hectares will be used for the solar farm, whilst the forest and ecosystems on the remainder of the site will be preserved. The project incorporates an environmental approach based on avoidance, reduction and offsetting measures, with particular attention paid to the protected species identified on the site. Construction of the plant is expected to begin before the end of 2028, with commissioning scheduled for 2030.
The solar power plant is expected to generate approximately 50,182 MWh per year, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of over 10,000 households. This output will cover approximately 3.7% of the Ministry of the Armed Forces' annual electricity requirements and will contribute directly to the government's carbon neutrality targets, whilst helping to enhance the value of public land and the armed forces' energy sovereignty.
"We are delighted to have supported Urbasolar in negotiating this landmark PPA, which marks a significant step in the structuring of direct purchases of renewable electricity by public entities. This transaction demonstrates the ability of PPAs to serve as an effective contractual tool for the energy transition, cost control and the sustainable development of public land", said Jonathan Souffir, Béatrice Boisnier and Thomas Vaseux, lawyers at De Gaulle Fleurance.
