A history of SHEM

What’s new?

  • 2009 : SHEM prepares to renew its hydroelectric concessions: an opportunity for SHEM to improve its performance and acquire new installations.
  • Early 2009 : 94 photovoltaic panels are brought into service at SHEM’s head office in Balma (outskirts of Toulouse), an example of SHEM’s determination to pursue its development in all the renewable energies, after it had moved into the building, which is close to HEQ standards, in October 2007.
  • Late 2008 : Acquisition of the “Moulin de Datto”, in the Basque Country, the 51st power station in SHEM’s fleet.
  • 16 July 20088 : GDF merges with SUEZ. SHEM takes up its place in the new world energy leader’s Energy Branch France.
  • 2 April 2008 : Inauguration of La Verna, the “first power station of the future”, in the presence of Gérard Mestrallet, Chairman of GDF SUEZ. This extraordinary technical feat, 700 metres below ground, is invisible and fits perfectly into its environment. The Open Days attract thousands of visitors.

A history of SHEM

Key dates

  • 1902 : The “Compagnie du Midi” decided to electrify the mountain railways in the Pyrenees, as steam traction was proving to be technically difficult and costly. The lack of power stations and transport networks meant that it had to create an energy source to support its electrification projects: the first hydroelectric power stations were brought into service.
  • 1910 : The Compagnie du Midi opened its first facility: the dam at Les Bouillouses (Pyrénées-Orientales), and the La Cassagne power station, which were intended to power the Yellow Train.
  • 1919 : The size of its projects and of the facilities it had to build led the Compagnie du Midi to set up a hydroelectric power station construction department, the “UHE” - Usines Hydro Electriques – which moved into Rue de la Dalbade, in Toulouse.
  • 1929 : The Compagnie du Midi set up a subsidiary in response to pressure from UPEPO, the union of independent electricity producers, which was critical of the competition from the Compagnie. On 19 June 1929, SHEM, - Société Hydroelectrique du Midi – was awarded 99-year concessions from east to west in the Pyrenees and in the Massif Central.
  • 1937 : When SNCF was founded in 1937, following the nationalisation of the railways, it inherited a number of hydroelectric facilities and UHE took over the running of all the hydroelectric stations owned by SNCF and its subsidiaries.
  • 1946 : In 1946, energy production facilities with a power output of more than 8,000 KVA were nationalised. As a national company, SNCF remained as owner of its power stations.
  • 1992 : A ministerial decree transferred to SHEM all the hydroelectric concessions and authorisations that the Government had granted to SNCF.
  • 2000 : The Act of 10 February authorised SHEM to become an independent producer.
  • 2002-2006 : Electrabel (SUEZ group) signed a capital-intensive and commercial partnership agreement with SNCF and gradually increased its holding in SHEM, until it controlled 99.6%.
  • 2007 : SHEM set up its head office in Balma, in the Toulouse conurbation.
  • 2008 : SUEZ and GDF merged to become GDF SUEZ, thus creating a new world leader for energy.