Wales-based WCE has developed 650MW of UK wind and has a200MW development pipeline, said a GDF Suez statement.

The French group currently owns seven UK wind farmstotalling 70MW, it added. The two companies have co-developed six wind projectssince 2008.

Steve Riley, CEO of GDF SuezEnergy UK-Europe said: "The West Coast Energy team have significant experiencein wind energy development that will complement our existing in-house expertisein structuring, financing, building and managing projects in the UK market.