Total Direct Énergie Explained

Total Direct Énergie
Type:Société Anonyme
Subsidiary of Total S.A.
Location City:Paris
Location Country:France
Industry:Electric utility
Products:Natural gas distribution, electricity generation and distribution, wind power
Revenue:1.966 billion (2017)[1]
Net Income:€51.9 million (2017)[2]
Equity:€2.020 billion (2016)
Num Employees:416 (2016)
Key People:Xavier Caïtucoli (CEO)
Homepage:total.direct-energie.com
Owner:TotalEnergies (100%)[3]

Total Direct Énergie, formerly Direct Énergie, is a French international electric utility company, which operates in the fields of electricity generation and distribution, natural gas, and renewable energy. Founded in France in 2003 as an alternative to the historic monopoly Électricité de France, it is present in Belgium through the subsidiary Poweo.

Activities

The group produces electricity and serves 2.1 millions consumers[4] in France and Belgium, both in retail and company-oriented market.[5] It handles 800 MW of electricity production capacity, mainly gas power stations.[6]

History

Founded in 2003, Direct Énergie made no profit in serving the corporate market nor the household market during its first years of existence. In 2008 is founded Neoen, a subsidiary dedicated to build and operate renewable power stations.[7]

The group bought 46% of its competitor in 2011,[8] before merging the following year.[9]

In April 2018, the French energy major Total S.A. announced their bid to purchase 74% of Direct Énergie capital from their main stockholders, for 1.4 billion euros.[10] On 6 July 2018 Total S.A. acquired 73.04% stake in the share capital of Direct Énergie. In September of that year, Total S.A. announced the acquisition of 95% of the shares and voting rights in the company, and that they would be beginning squeeze-out procedures to acquire the remaining shares. Following its acquisition by Total S.A., it withdrew from the Paris Stock Exchange Euronext Paris, with the suspension of trading on 19 September 2018 and its delisting on 27 September.[11]

In December 2022, the NGOs Friends of the Earth, Survie and four Ugandan NGOs sent the oil group Total to court and accused it of violating the law on the duty of vigilance of large French companies in terms of human rights and environment.https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2022/12/07/totalenergies-de-nouveau-face-a-la-justice-pour-son-megaprojet-en-ouganda_6153413_3212.html.

Sponsoring

Direct Énergie was a partner of the Olympique de Marseille from 2008 to 2010.[12] The company has been the main sponsor of a French pro cycling team since 2016.[13]

Notes and References

  1. https://total.direct-energie.com/fileadmin/Digital/Groupe/PDF/Rapport_annuels/2017/en/Annual_financial_report_2017.pdf
  2. https://total.direct-energie.com/fileadmin/Digital/Groupe/PDF/Rapport_annuels/2017/en/Annual_financial_report_2017.pdf
  3. Web site: Results of the Public Tender Offer of Total on Direct Energie . Total S.A. . 10 June 2019. EN.
  4. Web site: January 17, 2017. Direct Energie targets 4 mln clients in France by 2020. Geert De Clercq, Benjamin Mallet, and Richard Balmforth. reuters.com. 6 August 2017.
  5. Web site: Document de référence 2016 . groupe.direct-energie.com . 2017 . 28 May 2017. French.
  6. Web site: Pourquoi Direct Energie investit dans les renouvelables. 16 June 2017. 16 June 2017. challenges.fr. French.
  7. Web site: Neoen déploie ses éoliennes en Australie. Frédéric De Monicault. 6 February 2015. 29 July 2017. lefigaro.fr. fr.
  8. News: Direct Energie prend le contrôle de Poweo. 1 October 2011. Jean-Michel Bezat. 29 July 2017. French. Le Monde.fr.
  9. Web site: Poweo Direct Energie : naissance du 3ème opérateur d'énergie français . Challenges.fr . 12 July 2012 . 28 May 2017. French.
  10. News: fr. Total va acheter Direct Energie et espère bousculer le marché de l'électricité. Nabil Wakim. Le Monde.fr. 2018-04-18. 2018-04-18.
  11. Web site: Euronext . euronext.com . 11 June 2019. EN.
  12. Web site: French. OM / Direct Énergie : Le bilan de 2 ans de partenariat . om.net. 12 May 2010 . 4 June 2017.
  13. Web site: French. Europcar devient Direct Énergie. lequipe.fr. 15 September 2015 . 1 August 2017.