Following on from Irma, the Caribbean islands were again battered by a new hurricane, Maria, on 18-20 September 2017. Although both Martinique and Guadeloupe were directly on the path of this extraordinarily strong storm, the Group's plants sustained minimal damage with no significant impact on operations. The construction site for the Galion 2 bagasse/biomass power plant was left relatively unscathed.
Working under strict safety conditions, our local teams were present around the clock throughout the lockdown period to ensure that the three thermal power plants (Albioma Le Moule and Albioma Caraïbes in Guadeloupe and Albioma Galion in Martinique) continued to operate without interruption, helping to maintain a power supply on the islands.
The Group's photovoltaic plants in Guadeloupe and Martinique (14 MWp) also only sustained minor damage. However, with no connection to the power grid certain plants had to stop production, and some of them are currently inaccessible because of the state of the roads. The Group is carrying out detailed inspections of all its plants, and will bring them back in operation over the next few days, as and when the power grid is restored.
About Albioma
Albioma is an independent energy producer and world leader in the conversion of biomass into a highly-effective source of energy, in collaboration with its agri-business partners. For more than 20 years, Albioma has operated power plants recovering bagasse, a fibrous by-product of sugar cane, replaced by coal outside the sugar cane harvest. Its unique expertise has enabled Albioma to establish itself as an indispensable partner in the sugar and ethanol industry in the French overseas territories and Mauritius. Albioma is now developing power plants using only biomass, which recover, in addition to bagasse, green waste and wood industry residue. The Group also operates a highly-efficient photovoltaic installation. In 2014, the Group, which already had a presence in mainland France, the French overseas territories and Mauritius, began operating in Brazil, the world's leading sugar cane producer.
For further information, please visit www.albioma.com
Investor contacts
Julien Gauthier+33 (0)1 47 76 67 00
Media contacts - LPM Strategic Communications
Luc Perinet-Marquetlperinet@lpm-corporate.com
+33 (0)1 44 50 40 35
Albioma shares are listed on Euronext Paris (sub B) and eligible for the deferred settlement service (SRD) and PEA-PME plans.
ISIN FR0000060402 - Ticker: ABIO
