Consumer associations are also on tenterhooks

The drama of the estate of Pierre Gadonneix head of EDF touches to its end. Sunday evening at 8 p.m., the public electrical administrators meet to choose the alternate of the current boss, whose mandate ends in. Barring any last minute surprises, it is Henri Proglio, Chairman of Veolia Environnement, which will be designated by the State to chair the group public, which is already a Director for five years. Formally, the future CEO of EDF must first be accepted as an administrator at a meeting, scheduled on 5 November, and then elected by his peers to November 22, the date of the end of the mandate of Pierre Gadonneix. A roadmap in preparation between the Minister of ecology and energy, Jean-Louis Borloo, and the Secretary General of the Elysee, Claude Guéant, should be finalized during the weekend by the President of the Republic, just back from the G20 Summit.

The last elements remain to refine. One of the central issues is the future links between EDF and Veolia. Henri Proglio wants, while taking the head of EDF, retain a strong role in Veolia, shows concurrent sources. "Don't forget that Proglio is a stubborn man and that he would not release Veolia in open country", warned the record close. He would like to transform the governance of Veolia and retain the chairmanship of the Supervisory Board (read below).

Furthermore, EDF plans to ride in the capital of Veolia. The Assembly contemplated on their joint subsidiary of Dalkia energy services would allow EDF to hold between 12 and 13 of Veolia. This would make the electrician the first shareholder services group, before the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations, which controls nearly 10. The State, which already holds 35.7 of GDF Suez and indirectly controls Suez Environment, could thus become de facto the reference shareholder of the former General of waters it is not, however, lead to a merger between EDF and Veolia. Person puts forward the synergies between the world of water and electricity, if this is the concept of "single window", where consumers could buy both one and the other.

Real captain of industry

The appointment of Henri Proglio at the head of EDF will have to be accompanied by a strategic project. When it queries Jean-Louis Borloo on the situation of Veolia Environnement and EDF, the man responds he keeps in mind an industrial strategy for EDF, to two months in the world climate conference in Copenhagen. In the background, the idea to EDF energy European champion, the major player of a world without coming carbon. A world where services to energy and energy efficiency are markets booming. A world where the France must be able to take advantage of its champion nuclear power to conquer international markets more quickly and more surely than what has happened so far.

Bad language reminiscent of the woes of Areva in Finland and needs to transform the test for EDF in Britain, after its costly acquisition of British Energy. In this perspective, the profile of industrialist Henri Proglio weighs heavy. The former lieutenant of Guy Dejouany, faithful to his company for thirty-five years, is the head of a company which carries out three quarters of its turnover abroad. A company which built factories, chooses technologies and continues to manage in the long term on behalf of local elected customers where industrial.

The skipper of Veolia, also Chairman of the strategic Committee to the Board of Directors of EDF since 2004, feel legitimate to give new impetus to the French nuclear industry. It may include count on its relay with the trade unions of the House, starting with the Almighty CGT. It would be a good look at the arrival of the captain of industry at the time where the social relations within the group are particularly strained. Strikes in distribution centres and nuclear power plants have left deep traces.

500,000 Employees of EDF and Veolia are not the only impatiently waiting for the new situation. Consumer associations are also on tenterhooks. On changes in preparation, the post of representative of consumers to the Board of EDF may indeed disappear. Daniel Foundoulis, sixty ten years, President of the Federation of associations of consumers Conso, who sits on the Board of Directors of EDF since 1999, should not be reappointed to this position at the next Council. The State shareholder prefers to give priority to "large industrial" in the Council of the public company.