OREANDA-NEWS. Chairman and CEO of GDF SUEZ, Gerard Mestrallet, is visiting Peru for the World Economic Forum on Latin America, which this year is being held in Lima. Gerard Mestrallet, co-chairman of the event, stressed the importance of Latin America for GDF SUEZ, in front of an audience which included Juan Jimenez, Prime Minister of Peru, Jorge Merino-Tafur, Mines and Energy Minister, Rene Cornero Diaz, Minister of Housing, Construction and Sanitation and finally Luis Moreno, president of the Inter-American Development Bank. Gerard Mestrallet also discussed with Ollanta Humala-Tasso, President of Peru.

In several countries on this continent, the Group has developed an economic and sustainable energy mix and is becoming a key player in economic and social life here. Latin America currently represents the largest market for GDF SUEZ after Europe, and the Group operates more than 10% of its electrical facilities here.

On the occasion of his visit, Gerard Mestrallet, Chairman and CEO of GDF SUEZ commented: “The recent developments of GDF SUEZ in Peru reinforce its presence in this country where it has been present for over 16 years. As the benchmark utility of emerging countries our Group remains more than ever committed to a long lasting energy partnership with Peru.”

GDF SUEZ through its subsidiary EnerSur(1) is accelerating its development in Peru with the signing of several power supply contracts and a significant power capacity construction program.

The Group has recently signed 14 new supply contracts with distributors, large mining companies and industrial clients. These contracts total close to 800 MW. Among others Enersur sold 170 MW for a 15 year period with mining company Antamina, confirming EnerSur as the main power supplier and strategic partner for the mining industry in Southern Peru.

GDF SUEZ : the second largest private power producer in Peru

EnerSur is currently constructing the 460 MW Ilo Cold Reserve thermal plant project and the 112 MW Quitarasca hydro plant in Peru. Including the successful commissioning of the 804 MW ChilcaUno power plant in November 2012, visited by Gerard Mestrallet during the trip, the Group’s generation capacity in the country will double by 2014 compared with 2011.

Furthermore, the Group has submitted a proposal to add 100 MW to the Ilo Cold Reserve project, in anticipation of an increase in expected power demand in the South of Peru that is projected to rise from 900 MW in 2013 to 2,500 MW by 2018.

Over the 1997-2014 period, GDF SUEZ will have invested USD 1.5 billion in power generation in Peru. Through EnerSur, GDF SUEZ is the second largest private power generator in the country with an installed capacity of 1,263 MW(2) and a market share of 16% versus 7% in 2007.

Gerard Mestrallet also signed in the presence of the Peruvian Minister of Social Inclusion and Development, Ms Carolina Trivelli, a Memorandum of Understanding with Microsol a social enterprise involved in supplying sustainable access to energy to poor populations. Under this agreement GDF SUEZ will assess a direct investment in Microsol as part of the GDF SUEZ Rassembleurs d’Energies solidarity fund.

GDF SUEZ reaffirms its social commitment

Microsol, a Franco-Peruvian social enterprise has developed an innovative and promising business. It supports projects from NGOs or private companies that develop sustainable technologies of decentralized energy production. The implementation of renewable technologies helps to save energy while minimizing CO2 emissions and thus generating carbon credits. Selling those carbon credits on the international carbon market provides additional financial resources for these projects.

Among others, Microsol supports the Qori Q’oncha program in Peru. This program targets the installation of more than 100,000 improved cook stoves in the country. It improves health conditions of populations by decreasing respiratory diseases, economic situation of families by saving energy and time for extra revenue generating activities and climate change mitigation by reducing deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.

(1) GDF SUEZ hold a 61.7% equity interest in Enersur, with the remaining shares publically traded on the Lima Stock Exchange.

(2) As of 31 December 2012.