GDF Suez
GDF Suez SA is an international energy group, which emerged from the merger of the majority- state-owned gas company Gaz de France (GDF ) and the conglomerate Suez in July 2008. GDF Suez is one of the leading companies of the Paris stock exchange and is a component of the CAC40 stock market index. Seat is the Tour T1 in Courbevoie.
History
Suez
Predecessor and namesake is the universal Compagnie du canal maritime de Suez, founded in 1858 by Ferdinand de Lesseps to build and operate the Suez Canal. The canal was opened in 1869. 1956 nationalized Gamal Abdel Nasser the canal and compensated the company. After the politically failed Anglo-French attempt to regain the Suez Canal militarily ( Suez Crisis ), the company was renamed in 1958 Compagnie Financière de Suez and focused on a variety of investments and investments in various sectors. In 1959 it founded the Banque de la Compagnie Financière de Suez, which was renamed in 1966 in Banque de Suez et de l'union des mines. 1974 merged Banque de Suez with the Banque de l' Indochine, Banque Indosuez for. After the election of François Mitterrand in May 1981, the Compagnie Financière de Suez was nationalized in February 1982; In 1987 she was re-privatized.
In 1989, Suez, the traditional Société Générale de Belgique (not with the French bank Société Générale to be confused ), the largest Belgian industrial holding company, which had widely ramified interests in industry, banking and insurance. In 1990 the company was named Compagnie de Suez.
Merger with Lyonnaise des Eaux
1997 merged Suez was involved with the leading French water company Lyonnaise des Eaux, at the Suez since 1967, Suez Lyonnaise des eaux, but the name was changed again in 2001 in Suez.
Lyonnaise des Eaux in 1880 due to the enormous success which was founded by the French bank Société Générale Compagnie Générale des Eaux by their competitor, the Crédit Lyonnais, under the name of La Lyonnaise des Eaux et de l' eclairage (German: Lyon water and lighting ) founded. During the first half of the 20th century, this company had developed as a major supplier in the field of water, gas and electricity in France. Also in North Africa (Morocco, Tunisia), central Africa (Togo, Congo ) and the Pacific ( New Caledonia ) Lyonnais developed activities. With the nationalization of gas (Gaz de France) and electricity ( EDF ) in France in 1946, the company changed its name to Lyonnaise des Eaux and strengthened its position in the field of water supply in 1972 through the acquisition of Degrémont. It expanded its business activities to include heating and funeral services.
In the 1980s and 1990s Lyonnaise extended the economic activities into the United Kingdom, Spain and the United States. Most recently, Lyonnaise des Eaux dedicated to the audiovisual communication sector and in 1986 founded the cable company Lyonnaise communications. In 1987, the company acquired a stake in the private TV channel Métropole Télévision ( M6). 1990 merged with Lyonnaise Dumez, came 1996, all investments in the burial area and acquired from 16 other cable channels, which grew to become the largest French Lyonnaise cable television provider.
Since the merger with Lyonnaise des Eaux
, 2004, the main activities of Suez in the power supply ( Tractebel with a dominant share of the Belgian utility Electrabel), water supply and waste management ( Ondeo, Lyonnaise des Eaux, Degrémont, Sita ). In light of the disastrous development of his former rivals in the water and media sector, Vivendi Universal, Suez said in January 2003 its intention to divest itself of its media ownership. This began in 2002 with the sale of its shares in TPS and manifested itself in 2004 with the retreat in which channels M6 and Paris Première, and the cable operator Noos. 2005, the majority was acquired at Electrabel.
Merger of Suez with GDF
To stave off a possible hostile takeover bid of the Italian electricity company Enel, the French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin announced in February 2006 announced the merger of Suez with Gaz de France, which the new group the world's largest company in the field of liquefied natural gas (LNG). The French government should stay directly with 35 - percent share of the main shareholder of the merged group as a whole. The merger was completed in July 2008. As part of this merger, also the majority of branch Suez Environnement was on the stock market. Suez Environnement considers the entire water and waste activities of the former Suez group. GDF Suez held after the IPO still accounted for 35% of Suez Environnement.
After the merger of sales increased by 11% to 13.9 billion euros to 83.05 billion euros (up 17 % ) and earnings (EBITDA). The company intended the share of nuclear power in the energy production of the Group to expand to 20%.
Further acquisitions
The British power company International Power was acquired on August 10, 2010 for about six billion euros. The European Commission approves the acquisition under the EU Merger Regulation the end of January 2011, subject to conditions.
GDF Suez in Germany
The GDF Suez Energy Germany AG - which operated until January 2009 as Electrabel Germany AG - is the head of the GDF - Suez group in Germany, based in Berlin. Since the liberalization of the energy market in Germany in 1998, the company in the distribution of electricity, natural gas, heat and energy services in the electricity and heat production and in trade operates. There are powered industrial customers, distributors and public facilities with electricity, gas and energy services. CEO of GDF Suez Energy Germany 's Erik Scholz.
In 2001, Electrabel founded together with Stadtwerke Saarbrücken distribution company energy SaarLorLux. The company supplies electricity, gas and district heating in domestic, commercial and industrial customers in the region Saar -Lor -Lux. From 2005 to 2011, the GDF SUEZ Saarland GmbH led ( which operated until 2009 as Electrabel Saarland GmbH) operation. In July 2011, the power plant Roman Bridge was transferred to the energy SaarLorLux AG in Saarbrücken.
In 2002, Electrabel has a cooperation with Stadtwerke Gera closed. About the power supply Gera the sale of electricity, heat, gas and energy- related services and the operation of the networks is carried out. The power plants Gera GmbH generate electricity and heat in combined heat and power generation.
On 19 September 2008, the foundation stone was laid for a power plant in Wilhelmshaven. At the plant, the Swiss energy company BKW FMB Energie AG is 33% percent and the WSW Energie & Wasser AG holds a 15 %. The coal-fired power plant will have an efficiency of 46% have ( the average efficiency of coal-fired power plants in Germany is 38 %) and is scheduled to end in 2013.
GDF Suez and E.ON have taken an already agreed in July swap of generation capacity on 4 November 2009 after approval by the relevant antitrust authorities. GDF Suez received by E.ON, the coal-fired power plants Farge (351 MW net power) and Zolling (472 MW net power). In addition, GDF Suez acquired at Zolling gas turbines with a capacity of 50 MW and a 50 - % stake in a 20 MW biomass plant. Another part of the agreement was the power plant group Jansen ( = Pfreimd ). For this purpose, the pumped storage power plant Reisach belongs ( 99 MW), the Laufwasserkraftwerk Trausnitz (1.8 MW ), and the power plant Tanzmühle with a pump storage unit ( 28 MW) and a hydro-electric unit (3.3 MW). Furthermore, GDF Suez received electricity supply from nuclear power plants crumbs, Gundremmingen and Unterweser totaling approximately 700 MW. In return, E.ON acquired by GDF Suez, the coal power plant Langerlo ( 556 MW) and the gas power plant Vilvoorde (385 MW ) and electricity supply from the nuclear power plants of Doel 1, Doel 2 and Tihange 1 for a total of approximately 770 MW with delivery points in Belgium and the Netherlands.
In addition, GDF- Suez group has in Germany shares in Gasag and, through its subsidiary GRTgaz, at the gas pipeline Megal, as well as on the gas pipeline BOG in Austria.
In September 2011, Germany Storengy Infrastructures has taken over as a subsidiary of GDF Suez, the BEB Speicher (before name change to Storengy Germany leash), a subsidiary of the BEB gas and oil. Integral to the acquisition are the natural gas underground storage Reitbrook and pore Uelsen storage and the storage caverns Lesum and Harsefeld including the associated memory marketing. Along with the memories GDF- own provides GDF Suez with 14 billion cubic meters of gas ( under standard conditions) represents the second largest European operator of natural gas underground storage
In September 2011, GDF Suez Energy Germany and WSW Energie & Wasser bought together a wind farm in the Lower Franconian city of Würzburg helmet. The Wuppertal Stadtwerke participated with a share of 49%. The plant is about 30,000 megawatt hours of supply ( average consumption of 10,000 households ). The wind farm of 12.5 MW ( five wind turbines each rated at 2.5 megawatts) was officially inaugurated on June 24, 2012.
Fine the EU Commission for allocation of markets
On 8 July 2009, the European Commission imposed fines of 553 million euros against each GDF Suez and E.ON / E.ON Ruhrgas. As part of the plans to build the pipeline in 1975 Megal additional agreements on the division of gas markets in France and Germany have been taken in the year. The companies are accused to have this market collusion continues to function improperly, even though they originally legal agreements affecting competition, contrary after the opening of the European gas markets since August 2000 as compared to EU law. Both companies stated that they have violated at any point of EU law and to bring an action against the fines.