[France] Hydropower For Owens Corning

It was reported 22nd February 2008 that French hydroelectric power provider Compagnie Nationale du Rhone (CNR) has invested EUR 1.5M to lay a supply line between its Caderousse hydroelectric power station (HPS) & the Ardoise fiberglass plant of US building materials manufacturer Owens Corning. The US firm has agreed to power its plant with electricity produced by the HPS for 10 years. The connection was installed over a 4 month period by Ineo, a subsidiary of French utility group Suez. The company laid a 20,000 volt underground line running 3.7k. The direct connection will enable the Owens Corning firm to avoid power cuts as well as to decrease the carbon dioxide emisions of the plant by some 20,000 tonnes a year.