Orange, ENGIE partner over expansion of the rural electricity grid and ENGIE’s optimisation of energy supplied to Orange’s telecoms infrastructure in Africa

PARIS, 1-12-2015 — /EuropaWire/ — Stéphane Richard, CEO of Orange, and Isabelle Kocher, Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer of ENGIE, today signed a partnership covering two projects – the expansion of the rural electricity grid and ENGIE’s optimisation of energy supplied to Orange’s telecoms infrastructure in Africa.

The deal between Orange and ENGIE––both official partners of COP21––reasserts the companies’ willingness to use their technological knowledge to achieve sustainable progress and economic and social development in Africa.

The strength of the partnership is based on Orange’s expertise as an international telecoms carrier present in 19 countries in Africa and the Middle East, and ENGIE’s know-how as an international player in the the energy sector.

Orange is keen to take part in such a major challenge to expand the electricity grid in Africa and encourage responsible power consumption on the continent based on the expertise of ENGIE, one of the world’s leading energy companies.

ENGIE currently supplies 760 MW of power in Africa and aims to become one of the major energy leaders on the continent by 2025 with several major projects planned. To reinforce its position as the leading independent producer of electricity in Africa, ENGIE has created a dedicated Business Unit with around a hundred employees.

Orange and ENGIE bring electricity to rural Africa
Based on Orange’s expertise as a telecoms carrier and ENGIE’s experience in renewable energy production, aggregation and maintenance, the two Groups will trial a range of domestic power supply solutions for rural populations that could then be marketed by Orange.

These solutions could, for instance, include individual solar kits and small-scale, local electricity networks. The service could then be billed via mobile using Orange Money.

The trials will allow the companies to validate the technical solutions, the sales and distribution models, and the economic feasibility of the service before making it available on a larger scale.

Orange and ENGIE are keen to play their role as socially responsible players in Africa, where an estimated 69% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa and 90% of the rural population in the same region have no access to the electricity grid[1].

ENGIE helps to optimise the supply of Orange telecoms towers

ENGIE supports Orange with its ongoing project to optimise the power supply of its technical infrastructure in Africa. ENGIE will offer its expertise to improve Orange’s energy efficiency.

Orange’s objectives are to pursue its stable and secure power supply program, reduce its energy footprint, and contain costs despite rapidly growing energy requirements.

[1] BearingPoint Study 2014 – L’électrification rurale en Afrique (the electricity grid in rural Africa)

About Orange
Orange is one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators with sales of 39 billion euros in 2014 and 157,000 employees worldwide at 30 September 2015, including 98,000 employees in France. Present in 28 countries, the Group has a total customer base of 263 million customers worldwide at 30 September 2015, including 200 million mobile customers and 18 million fixed broadband customers. Orange is also a leading provider of global IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies, under the brand Orange Business Services. In March 2015, the Group presented its new strategic plan “Essentials2020” which places customer experience at the heart of its strategy with the aim of allowing them to benefit fully from the digital universe and the power of its new generation networks.

Orange is listed on Euronext Paris (symbol ORA) and on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol ORAN).

For more information on the internet and on your mobile: www.orange.com, www.orange-business.com, www.livetv.orange.com or to follow us on Twitter: @orangegrouppr.

Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trademarks of Orange or Orange Brand Services Limited.

Orange press contacts
Tél. : +33 (0)1 44 44 93 93
Marie-Paule Freitas : mpaule.freitas@orange.com
Caroline Simeoni : caroline.simeoni@orange.com

About ENGIE
ENGIE develops its businesses (power, natural gas, energy services) around a model based on responsible growth to take up today’s major energy and environmental challenges: meeting energy needs, ensuring the security of supply, combating climate change and optimizing the use of resources. The Group provides highly efficient and innovative solutions to individuals, cities and businesses by relying on diversified gas-supply sources, flexible and low-emission power generation as well as unique expertise in four key sectors: independent power production, liquefied natural gas, renewable energy and energy efficiency services.  ENGIE employs 152,900 people worldwide and achieved revenues of EUR 74.7 billion in 2014. The Group is listed on the Paris, Brussels and Luxembourg stock exchanges and is represented in the main international indices: CAC 40, BEL 20, DJ Euro Stoxx 50, Euronext 100, FTSE Eurotop 100, MSCI Europe, ASPI Eurozone, Euronext Vigeo Eurozone 120, Vigeo World 120, Vigeo Europe 120 and Vigeo France 20.

Press contact:
Tel. France : +33 (0)1 44 22 24 35
Tel. Belgique : +32 2 510 76 70
E-Mail : engiepress@engie.com
Investor Relations contact:
Tel. : +33 (0)1 44 22 66 29
E-Mail : ir@engie.com
ENGIE Group