Exchanges of assets reached last year with E

Number one renewable energy in Europe, the Norwegian group Statkraft announced his candidacy for the tender of the French State on EDF dams for the first time. More than 99 of the Norwegian electricity is hydraulic.

The French Government must launch a tender on 13 dams. Why are you candidate

It is sufficient to know that we are to understand: Statkraft is the number one European renewable energy in Europe with a production of 50 terawatt hours! The company manages a network of more than 225 hydropower plants in Europe including 149 in Norway and 58 in Sweden, and we provide over 600,000 customers with heating and electricity. The French do not know, but more than 99 of the electricity produced in Norway is from hydro sources. If nature has been generous with our country, it is also and primarily the product of more old voluntarist policy of one hundred years. By bringing together ten dams, Statkraft was able to create its large water tank, equipped with a surface of more than 80 square kilometres capable of containing 3 billion cubic metres of water. Equivalent energy, this represents the average annual consumption of approximately 1.5 million French homes.

What is the role of Statkraft in Norway

Statkraft is the leader of the energy in Norway, with more than 17 years of experience in a market open to competition. The group is wholly-owned subsidiary of the State entrusted the mission to continue the development of the hydroelectric sector and to be a supplier of energy to Europe at episodes of energy peak. One of the main characteristics of the hydraulic energy is that it can be stored. Dams are opening up the application, unlike wind electrons must be consumed immediately under fault to be lost. We are working even on assumptions where, during episodes of strong wind, it would be possible to fill the tanks of the dams. This would enable us to provide electricity during calm periods when the turbines do not work.

Why leave your borders

In a world facing climate issues, renewable energy is more sought after than ever. In recent years, we decided to accelerate our development in the international and us to open up to other renewable energies. A programme of investment of 10 billion euros by 2015 has been decided. In Britain, we have 3 hydropower plants in activity and build wind farms, including offshore. Exchanges of assets reached last year with E.ON also allowed us to hold 11 plants in Germany and 2 power plants to gas, in addition to the 2 that we have built. We are also present in South-Eastern Europe and in Laos, the Nepal, the Chile, the Peru, in India and the Philippines.

How to place the France in this strategy

When the French Government began to talk about the launch of an international tender for the renewal of concessions from its dams, we decided to look closely at this folder. In the European package on climate and energy, the France set a goal of 23 of renewable energy. As such, the France wishes to increase the production capacity of the dams. We have the necessary expertise.

We will establish our Directorate-General France in Lyon in September and look forward to the launch of the first calls for tender by the end of the year.

That is what differentiates you from EDF

We do not want to compare ourselves to others. But we have a long tradition of consultation with local communities and residents. In the European directives on the quality of the water which set a goal of good ecological quality in 2015, the requirements of public authorities will be strengthened. I used to say that we are the largest breeder of juvenile salmon as we participate actively in fish relocation policies in the rivers on which we are located.

Statkraft has also implemented a very fine, to the nearest centimetre reservoir filling levels management system to do not disturb aquatic. And, on the River Alta, in the North of the country, the consultation pushed to install sensors through the banks.