On the 29th January Director General of JSC IDGC Holding Nikolay Shvets received in Moscow a French team led by International Cooperation Director of Electricité Réseau Distribution France (ERDF) – Director General of ERDF-I (France) Jacques Horvilleur.

Deputy Director General – Technical Director of JSC IDGC Holding Pavel Okley, Head of EDF’s Representation in Moscow Luc Charreyre, and other top managers took part in the meeting.

During the negotiations the parties discussed specific areas of cooperation between JSC IDGC Holding and ERDF. In particular, they discussed the issue of choosing a strategic partner among the businesses in the electric distribution grid sector of the French energy industry and relevant French higher education institutions to share experience in operation of electric distribution grids, courses and internships for Russian students trained in operation of distribution grid facilities.

The parties also discussed and agreed a draft Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation between JSC IDGC Holding and ERDF. The Memorandum provides for developing cooperation in such areas as design, repair and maintenance of grids; operation of grids; personnel management and training; finances and investments; enterprise economics and management; relationships with electric distribution majors. This list can be extended as may be agreed between the parties to the Memorandum.

The parties plan to cooperate in such areas as paid services, exchange of information and experience, comparison of methods or performance and in other areas.

Two multimedia presentations were organized for the French guests during the meeting. The first presentation discussed the state of the electric distribution grid facilities and the outlooks of its technical re-equipment. The second presentation explained the procedure and terms of attracting international investments in development of electric distribution grids of JSC IDGC Holding subject to the transition to RAB regulation.

In its turn, ERDF made presentations on Development of the French Electric Power Market and Positioning of ERDF in the Industry and on Strategy and Examples of Services Offered.

In summing up the outcome of the negotiation Nikolay Shvets noted that the meeting was held in the scope of the Year of Russia in France and the Year of France in Russia. He underscored that IDGC Holding is keen on exchanging experience with ERDF in such areas as development of “intelligent networks”, integration of renewable energy sources with the electric distribution grid facilities, and compensation of reactive capacity.