6th February 2012

 

E.ON France S.A.S and Hydrocop Concessions have signed a partnership agreement to compete together in the call for tenders for hydroelectric concessions announced by the French government in April 2010. This partnership, the only one of its type, will:

• Combine the expertise of France's third largest electricity generator with the know-how of 8 local distribution companies.
• Provide French consumers – homes and businesses – with the benefit of electricity from hydroelectric sources.
• Respond to local issues by offering a tailored approach, benefiting the valleys and their populations.

 

A team of French and international hydroelectricity experts will ensure that the threefold requirements of the French government are met. These involve, for each concession renewal, selecting the best bid in terms of energy, the environment and economics.

 

On one side, the partnership can draw on the E.ON group's expertise in hydroelectricity, and its broad grasp of the challenges of the French electricity market. On the other side it is backed by the experience of the Local Distribution Businesses that make up Hydrocop Concessions – experience in operating concessions, and in dealing with local authorities. The partnership has the advantage of full knowledge of the employment issues specific to the industry’s employees, making it easier to take on the concessions.

 

E.ON and Hydrocop Concessions intend to work towards opening up an efficient and responsible hydroelectricity market. Winning hydroelectric concessions would enable E.ON and Hydrocop Concessions to provide cleaner energy to French consumers – homes or electricity-intensive industrial companies – which they have been supplying for many years.

 

The renewal of the concessions will breathe new life into the valleys. The two partners, E.ON and Hydrocop Concessions, will involve all local players closely in the issues of managing the water resource, to come up with new responses to local expectations, with a firm commitment to working for the benefit of all.

 

E.ON is the number-one hydroelectric company in Germany, and in Spain, Italy, and Sweden it also operates 212 hydroelectric power plants. These represent a cumulative power of over 6,000 MW, and use all available technologies from run-of-the-river to high head. E.ON is the third largest electricity generator in France with over 3,200 MW, and through its French subsidiary SNET,   it has for many years been contributing to the equilibrium of the French electricity system, as an expert in semi-baseload and peak generation. E.ON, as the third largest electricity generator in France, provides its industrial customers with tailored packages which in 2011 represented a volume of 13 TWh, equating to 2.7% of the electricity consumed in France.

 

E.ON is now preparing a customised response to the future call for tenders for hydroelectric concessions by entering into various types of alliance with partners that are respected in their fields of business and which care about local and national infrastructure renewal issues, such as Hydrocop Concessions.

 

Hydrocop Concessions is made up of 8 local distribution companies: Soregies, Sicap, Ene’O, ESL, Sicae du Carmausin, Terralis Power (made up of Sicae Ely, Sicae La Ferté-Alais, Sicae de l’Aisne). These local distribution companies have decided to pool their knowledge to respond to calls for tenders for hydroelectric concessions. For the initial calls for tenders, Hydrocop Concessions decided to ally with a major industrial partner who could contribute not only its expertise, but also new technologies and capital to finance the necessary renewal and expansion of hydroelectric infrastructure in France. Hydrocop Concessions operates in many French regions, including the South West, a region of great interest in connection with these calls for tenders.

 

Luc Poyer, Chairman of the Management Board of E.ON France, declared: "Amongst E.ON's assets are its expertise, its financial position, and a long-standing presence in France that, with Hydrocop Concessions, enable it to submit bids that reconcile the public interest, economic progress, local issues and safeguarding the environment."

 

Marc Loisel, CEO of Hydrocop Concessions, added that "most of the local distribution companies that are members of Hydrocop Concessions have been operating in the region for over 100 years. Their close ties with local communities, their expertise in managing distribution concessions and the quality of service they provide to over 250,000 French customers make them natural and complementary partners for E.ON."

 

About E.ON

 

E.ON is a global leader in gas and electricity. Backed by revenues of almost €93 billion in 2010, E.ON employs over 85,000 staff and has been chosen by 26 million customers in Europe. In France, E.ON is the 3rd largest producer and supplier of electricity and gas thanks to its competitive and diversified energy mix. With 4 thermal power stations (ISO 14001 and OHASAS 18001 certified), 2 combined cycle power plants, 6 wind farms and 2 solar energy farms, E.ON has over 3.2 GW in installed capacity in France.

 

About Hydrocop Concessions

 

Hydrocop Concessions is made up of eight local companies which have decided to pool their historical expertise as energy distributors to position themselves in the hydroelectric concessions market, and respond to calls for tenders. Hydrocop Concessions is a SAS [société par actions simplifiée – a French simplified joint-stock company] formed in May 2011 by SOREGIES, SICAP, Ene’O, ESL, SICAE du CARMAUSIN, Terralis Power (made up of SICAE ELY, SICAE La Ferté-Alais, SICAE de l’Aisne).

 

 

Press contacts:

 

E.ON France Director of Communications Karine LEPRETRE Tel: +33 (0)1 44 63 39 48 - +33 (0)6 32 40 20 37

Hydrocop Concessions. Director of Communications Virginie LORENTZ Tel: +33 (0)5 49 89 34 23 - +33 (0)6 07 31 15 55

 

¹Société Nationale d’Electricité et de Thermique