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{{Short description|Italian electric utility company headquartered in Milan}}
{{Primary sources|date=March 2012}}
{{about|the Italian company|the type of company|electrical utility|the company founded by Thomas Edison|Edison General Electric|the several unified New York City utilities|Consolidated Edison|other uses|Edison (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox company
{{Infobox company
| name = Edison S.p.A.
| name = Edison S.p.A.
| type = [[Public company|Public]]
| type = [[Public company|Public]]
| logo = Edison (Unternehmen) logo.svg
| logo = Edison - logo (Italy, 2016).svg
| image =
| image_size =
| image_caption =
| traded_as =
| traded_as =
| predecessor =
| predecessor =
Line 15: Line 19:
| products = [[Natural gas]]<br/>[[Electric power]]
| products = [[Natural gas]]<br/>[[Electric power]]
| services =
| services =
| revenue = €9.159 billion (2018)<ref name="edison.it">{{cite web|title=Economic and financial figures|url=https://www.edison.it/en/economic-and-financial-figures?field_financial_data_type_target_id=238|access-date=3 February 2020}}</ref>
| revenue = €12.325&nbsp;billion (2014)<ref name="edison.it">{{cite web|url=http://www.edison.it/en/edison-ends-2014-revenues-holding-steady-123-billion-euros-and-ebitda-814-million-euros-compared?mlid=1020&active=1021|title=Edison ends 2014 with revenues holding steady at 12.3 billion euros and EBITDA of 814 million euros, up compared with 2013, net of the nonrecurring effect of gas renegotiations. - Edison|website=Edison|accessdate=25 October 2017}}</ref>
| operating_income = €841.0&nbsp;million (2014)<ref name="edison.it"/>
| operating_income = €793 million (2018)<ref name="edison.it"/>
| net_income = €40.0&nbsp;million (2014)<ref name="edison.it"/>
| net_income = €199 million (2018)<ref name="edison.it"/>
| assets =
| assets = €6.557 billion (2018)<ref name="edison.it"/>
| equity =
| equity = €6.141 billion (2018)<ref name="edison.it"/>
| owner =
| owner =
| num_employees = 3,100 (2014)
| num_employees = 5,372 (2018)
| parent = [[Électricité de France]] (99.4%)
| parent = [[Électricité de France]] (99.4%)
| divisions =
| divisions =
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| footnotes =
| footnotes =
| intl =
| intl =
| caption =
| foundation = {{Start date|1884}}
| foundation = {{Start date|1884}}
| location_city = [[Milan]]
| location_city = [[Milan]]
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}}
}}


'''Edison S.p.A''' is an energy company in the field of electricity and [[natural gas]] headquartered in [[Milan]], [[Italy]]. The company was established in 1884. Edison employs about 4,000&nbsp;people in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Chairman of the board is Jean-Bernard Lévy (CEO of EDF) and chief executive officer is Bruno Lescoeur.
'''Edison S.p.A.''' is an Italian [[electric utility]] company headquartered in [[Milan]]. The company was established in 1884 and acquired by [[Electricité de France]] in 2012. Edison employs more than 5,000 people in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. The chairman of the board is Luc Rémont (CEO of EDF) and the chief executive officer is Nicola Monti.


==History==
==History==
[[File:Sede Edison.JPG|thumb|left|Edison's headquarter in Foro Buonaparte 31, Milan]]


===Early history (1884-1966)===
[[File:Dinamo verticale Jumbo (Santa Radegonda) Museo scienza e tecnologia Milano.jpg|thumb|Vertical dynamo Jumbo type (Santa Radegonda). [[Museo nazionale della scienza e della tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci]], Milan.]]


Founded in 1884 by [[:it:Giuseppe Colombo (ingegnere)|Giuseppe Colombo]] in Milan, Italy, as "Società generale italiana di elettricità sistema Edison", it served the purpose of introducing and applying [[Thomas Edison]]'s inventions to Italy. Indeed, Colombo, an engineering professor, was a great admirer of Edison, whom he had met in the United States in 1881, securing an exclusive licence for some of [[List of Edison patents|his patents]] for Italy and hiring some of his collaborators.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Freni |first1=Giuseppe |last2=Kurz |first2=Heinz D. |last3=Lavezzi |first3=Mario |last4=Signorino |first4=Rodolfo |title=Economic theory and its history|date=2016 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781138186590 |pages=406–407}}</ref> Edison operated the Santa Radegonda power plant, Europe's first power plant.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Dyer |first1=Frank Louis |last2=Martin |first2=Thomas Commerford |title=Edison : his life and inventions |date=2001 |publisher=University Press of the Pacific |isbn=0898756707 |page=283}}</ref> In the following decades, Edison continued growing, especially in [[hydroelectric power]], and came to control power distribution in most of northern Italy. In 1962, the [[Fanfani IV Cabinet|centre-left coalition government]] of Christian Democrats and Socialists decided to [[nationalize]] the electric sector in Italy to break the oligopolistic power of the four dominant electric companies that comprised the market.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ginzburg |first1=Paul |title=A History of Contemporary Italy: 1943-80 |date=1990 |publisher=Penguin Books |isbn=9780141931678 |pages=Chapter 8}}</ref> With the compensation money it obtained from the state, Edison, then headed by Giorgio Valerio, invested heavily to diversify its activities, primarily in the petrochemical sector and by buying the [[Standa]] supermarkets chain, continuing producing power only for self-consumption.<ref name=montedison>{{cite web|url=http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/76/Montedison-S-p-A.html|title=Montedison S.p.A. - Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on Montedison S.p.A.|website=www.referenceforbusiness.com|access-date=25 October 2017}}</ref> This strategy was unsuccessful, though, as competition with both state-owned [[Enrico Mattei]]'s giant [[Eni]] and [[Montecatini (company)|Montecatini]], a large private chemical company, proved too hard, so in 1965, Edison was eventually forced to merge with Montecatini, forming [[Montedison]], the largest chemical company in the country.<ref>{{cite book |last1=McCarthy |first1=Patrick |title=The crisis of the Italian state : from the origins of the Cold War to the fall of Berlusconi and beyond |date=1997 |publisher=St. Martin's Press |location=New York |isbn=0312163592 |page=85}}</ref>
Edison was established in 1884 in Milan as a power utility. It built Europe's first power plant at Santa Radegonda, in Milan. In the 1950s, Edison invested to diversify its activities, growing primarily in the chemical sector. By 1960, Edison was Italy's second largest chemical company.<ref name=montedison/> Following the nationalization and resulting sale of its electric assets to [[Enel]] in 1962, Edison downsized its energy business, producing power only for self-consumption and operating only the power plants that supplied the Group's industrial facilities.<ref name=montedison>{{cite web|url=http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/76/Montedison-S-p-A.html|title=Montedison S.p.A. - Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on Montedison S.p.A.|website=www.referenceforbusiness.com|accessdate=25 October 2017}}</ref>


===Montedison era (1966-2001)===
In 1966, Edison merged with [[Montecatini (company)|Montecatini]], to create Montedison, Italy's largest industrial chemistry group. {{citation needed|date=May 2013}} In 1979, Montedison's electric power assets (21 hydroelectric and 2 thermoelectric power plants) were conveyed to Selm, a new company that four years later was listed on the Milan Stock Exchange. In 1991, Selm changed its name back to the historical Edison name.<ref name=montedison/>


Montedison initially was doing well, dominating about 80% of the national chemical market and 15% of the [[European Community]] market, but the [[1973 oil crisis]] proved disastrous for the company that was forced to seek state intervention to avoid bankruptcy; by the mid 1970s, the Italian state came to own about 17% of Montedison, becoming its largest single shareholder, but its effective control was even greater as state-owned banks held shares. The company became increasingly an arm of state social policy, and employment goals were favored over profits.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Moss Kanter |first1=Rosabeth |last2=Stein |first2=Barry A. |last3=Jick |first3=Todd D. |title=The Challenge of organizational change : how companies experience it and leaders guide it |date=1992 |publisher=Free Press, a division of Simon & Schuster Inc. |location=New York |isbn=0743254465 |page=255}}</ref>
The years that followed marked a period of major growth, owing in part to the 1991 National Energy Plan that promoted the construction of generating facilities based on [[renewable energy]], or their equivalent, providing fresh momentum for the development of facilities for self-consumption. Also in the 1990s, Edison strengthened its hydrocarbon sector activities by acquiring reserves.<ref name=montedison/>


In 1980, Mario Schimberni became chairman and negotiated the sale of the state-owned shares to [[Atlantia (company)|Gemina]], a consortium of banks and private companies, to free Montedison from government interference. Through a rigorous cost-cutting plan and joint ventures with [[Mitsui]] and [[Hercules Inc.]], Schimberni transformed the money-losing manufacturer of commodity chemicals and plastics into a profitable, diversified holding company.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Moss Kanter |first1=Rosabeth |last2=Stein |first2=Barry A. |last3=Jick |first3=Todd D. |title=The Challenge of organizational change : how companies experience it and leaders guide it |date=1992 |publisher=Free Press, a division of Simon & Schuster Inc. |location=New York |isbn=0743254465 |pages=257–267}}</ref>
Starting in 1999, the new laws that gradually deregulated the energy market reintroduced competition in the electric power and the natural gas industries. Edison began to supply electric power to eligible customers and expand its downstream presence in the natural gas area.<ref name=montedison/>


In 1985, [[Raul Gardini]], an agribusiness tycoon, started buying into Montedison, and by 1987, he came to own 40% of the company's shares, thus taking over the company and forcing Schimberni to leave. Gardini wanted to reorganize and integrate the company into his sugar and fertilizer empire, but the debt burden he incurred during the takeover rapidly brought Montedison to the threshold of bankruptcy, forcing Gardini to seek state aid. In 1988, a new joint venture was formed with Eni, called Enimont, in which both companies had 40% of the shares, while 20% was sold on the market. In 1990, Eni bought all of Montedison's shares in Enimont, and Montedison withdrew from the chemical sector to pursue a role as an energy company.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Dunford |first1=Michael |last2=Greco |first2=Lidia |title=After the Three Italies: Wealth, Inequality and Industrial Change (Chapter 9) |date=2006 |publisher=Blackwell Publishing |location=Hoboken, New Jersey|isbn=978-1-405-12520-8|pages=245–281}}</ref>
In July 2001, a public [[tender offer]] to acquire [[Montedison]] (which was controlled by Edison) was received from [[Italenergia S.p.A.]], owned by a group consisting of [[Fiat]] (38.6%), [[Electricité de France]] (18%), [[Carlo Tassara]] (20%): [[Capitalia]] (9.6%), IMI Investimenti of the [[Sanpaolo IMI]] Group (7.8%), and [[Banca Intesa]] (6%). In June 2002, this group entered into an agreement for the reorganization of Edison. The plan, completed in December 2002, provided for creation of [[Italenergia Bis]], a new holding company where all shareholders of Italenergia transferred their interests. The following year, Edison, [[Sondel]] and [[Fiat Energia]] merged into Montedison to create a new company called Edison.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.intesasanpaolo.com/portalIr/ir/20F/Form_20F_2005.pdf|title=Intesa Sanpaolo|website=www.intesasanpaolo.com|accessdate=25 October 2017}}</ref>


In 1991, Montedison revived the name Edison to rebrand SELM, a spin-off company into which all its energy assets had been put in 1978.<ref>{{cite news |title=Montedison now set on more practical, less grandiose course |url=https://www.icis.com/explore/resources/news/1991/01/07/11667/montedison-now-set-on-more-practical-less-grandiose-course/ |access-date=4 February 2020 |publisher=Independent Chemical Information Service |date=7 July 1991}}</ref> In 1999, the [[Pier Luigi Bersani|Bersani]] decree liberalized the Italian energy market and reintroduced competition in the electric market, and later the [[Enrico Letta|Letta]] decree opened up the natural gas market, allowing Edison to begin supplying electricity to eligible customers and expanding its downstream presence in the natural gas sector.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Monti |first1=Nicola |title=The Italian Utilities Industry |chapter=From Letta and Bersani Decrees to the Future Challenges. The Role of Edison |chapter-url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-030-37677-2_5 |publisher=link.springer.com |year=2020 |pages=85–97 |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-37677-2_5 |isbn=978-3-030-37676-5 |s2cid=214234584 |access-date=3 February 2020}}</ref>
On September 16, 2005, [[Transalpina di Energia]] purchased 63.3% of the [[common shares]] of Edison from Italenergia Bis. The entire share capital of Transalpina di Energia is owned in equal shares by WGRM, a subsidiary of [[Electricité de France]] (EDF), and Delmi, a subsidiary of [[A2A|A2A S.p.A.]]<ref>Annual Report 2006</ref>

In 2012, EDF made a successful offer for the 99,483% of Edison's voting capital.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edison.it/en/investor-relations/stocks/index.shtml|title=Stocks details and quotations - Edison|publisher=|accessdate=25 October 2017}}</ref>
===As Edison S.p.A. (2002-present)===

In 2001, a successful hostile bid to acquire Montedison (that controlled Edison as a subsidiary) was launched by Italenergia SpA, a consortium set up by [[Fiat]], [[Electricité de France]], [[Sanpaolo IMI]], [[Banca Intesa]], and other investors. Following the takeover, Montedison was reorganized by selling all its nonenergy assets. In 2002, Montedison was merged with Edison, Sondel, and Fiat Energia under the name of Edison SpA. In 2005, Transalpina di Energia, a consortium set up by Electricité de France and [[A2A]], purchased 63.3% of the [[common shares]] of Edison from Italenergia. In 2012, Electricité de France finally bought 99.5% of Edison's shares and [[Delisting (stock)|delisted]] it from Milan stock exchange.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Raj |first1=Chari |title=Life After Privatization |date=2015 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780199658312 |page=170}}</ref>


==Operations==
==Operations==
Edison's primary activities are production and distribution of electricity and natural gas. Edison and its subsidiaries operate across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.<ref name=autogenerated2>{{cite web|url=http://195.75.145.68/whoiswho/ricerca.php?code=WSWWWWVHWW|title=Who'S Who Sutter'S International Red Series<!-- Bot generated title -->|access-date=25 October 2017}}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edison.it/en/media/media-gallery/energy-market-papers/2011-10-07-fact-sheet-on-edisons-activities-in-the-hydrocarbons-sector.shtml|title=Fact sheet on Edison's activities in the hydrocarbons sector<!-- Bot generated title -->|access-date=25 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714210707/http://www.edison.it/en/media/media-gallery/energy-market-papers/2011-10-07-fact-sheet-on-edisons-activities-in-the-hydrocarbons-sector.shtml|archive-date=2014-07-14|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|url=http://quotes.wsj.com/IT/EDN/company-people|title=Quote Not Found - Wall Street Journal|website=quotes.wsj.com|access-date=25 October 2017}}</ref>
[[File:Lng adriatic.jpg|thumb|LNG Adriatic regassification terminal, Rovigo]]
[[File:EDISON21.jpg|thumb|Off-shore platform Vega, Pozzallo]]
Edison's primary activities are production and distribution of electricity and natural gas. Edison and its subsidiaries operate across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.<ref name=autogenerated2>{{cite web|url=http://195.75.145.68/whoiswho/ricerca.php?code=WSWWWWVHWW|title=Who'S Who Sutter'S International Red Series<!-- Bot generated title -->|publisher=|accessdate=25 October 2017}}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edison.it/en/media/media-gallery/energy-market-papers/2011-10-07-fact-sheet-on-edisons-activities-in-the-hydrocarbons-sector.shtml|title=Fact sheet on Edison’s activities in the hydrocarbons sector<!-- Bot generated title -->|publisher=|accessdate=25 October 2017}}</ref><ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|url=http://quotes.wsj.com/IT/EDN/company-people|title=Quote Not Found - Wall Street Journal|website=quotes.wsj.com|accessdate=25 October 2017}}</ref>


Edison is the second largest power producer in Italy (about 15% of national output) and in Greece (about 12% of national output).<ref name=autogenerated2 /> It operates in Greece through subsidiary Elpedison (38% interest, a joint venture between Edison, [[Hellenic Petroleum]] and [[Ellaktor]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elpedison.gr/en/the-group/who-we-are/is|title=Who we are |publisher=Edison|accessdate=25 April 2013}}</ref> Together with DEPA, it develops the [[Greece–Italy pipeline]] project.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hydrocarbons-technology.com/projects/turkeygreeceitalypip/|title=Interconnection Turkey Greece Italy (ITGI) Pipeline - Hydrocarbons Technology|publisher=|accessdate=25 October 2017}}</ref>
Edison is the second-largest power producer in Italy (about 15% of national output) and in Greece (about 12% of national output).<ref name=autogenerated2 /> It operates in Greece through subsidiary Elpedison (50% interest, a joint venture between Edison and [[Hellenic Petroleum]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elpedison.gr/en/the-group/who-we-are/is|title=Who we are |publisher=Edison|access-date=25 April 2013}}</ref> Together with DEPA, it develops the [[Greece–Italy pipeline]] project.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hydrocarbons-technology.com/projects/turkeygreeceitalypip/|title=Interconnection Turkey Greece Italy (ITGI) Pipeline - Hydrocarbons Technology|access-date=25 October 2017}}</ref>


Hydrocarbons operations include exploration, production and distribution of natural gas and crude oil. As of 2010, Edison owned 80&nbsp;hydrocarbons concessions and permits with hydrocarbons reserves of {{convert|52.8|e9m3|abbr=off}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edison.it/media/hydrocarbons-business.pdf|title=Hydrocarbons business|publisher=Edison|accessdate=25 April 2013}}</ref>
Hydrocarbon operations include exploration, production, and distribution of natural gas and crude oil. As of 2010, Edison owned 80&nbsp;hydrocarbons concessions and permits with hydrocarbons reserves of {{convert|52.8|e9m3|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edison.it/media/hydrocarbons-business.pdf|title=Hydrocarbons business|publisher=Edison|access-date=25 April 2013}}{{Dead link|date=September 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>


== Financial Results ==
== Financial results ==


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
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!40!! 96 || 81 || 871 || 21 || 240 || 346
!40!! 96 || 81 || 871 || 21 || 240 || 346


|}<ref>http://www.edison.it/financial_statement_2011/attachments/it/Bilancio_Annuale_2011.pdf{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.firstonline.info/a/2014/03/28/edison-utile-netto-2013-sale-a-96-milioni-di-euro/9693cbec-a1eb-4e64-9814-3dbedacb7d14|title=Edison: utile netto 2013 sale a 96 milioni di euro|website=Firstonline|accessdate=25 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edison.it/it/investor-relations/dati-finanziari/highlights/index.shtml|title=Highlights<!-- Titolo generato automaticamente -->|publisher=|accessdate=25 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edison.it/it/investor-relations/bilanci-e-relazioni/index.shtml|title=Archivi dei bilanci e delle relazioni infra-annuali – Edison<!-- Titolo generato automaticamente -->|publisher=|accessdate=25 October 2017|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304001545/http://www.edison.it/it/investor-relations/bilanci-e-relazioni/index.shtml|archivedate=4 March 2016|df=}}</ref>
|}<ref>http://www.edison.it/financial_statement_2011/attachments/it/Bilancio_Annuale_2011.pdf{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.firstonline.info/a/2014/03/28/edison-utile-netto-2013-sale-a-96-milioni-di-euro/9693cbec-a1eb-4e64-9814-3dbedacb7d14|title=Edison: utile netto 2013 sale a 96 milioni di euro|website=Firstonline|access-date=25 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edison.it/it/investor-relations/dati-finanziari/highlights/index.shtml|title=Highlights<!-- Titolo generato automaticamente -->|access-date=25 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324011236/http://www.edison.it/it/investor-relations/dati-finanziari/highlights/index.shtml|archive-date=2016-03-24|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edison.it/it/investor-relations/bilanci-e-relazioni/index.shtml|title=Archivi dei bilanci e delle relazioni infra-annuali – Edison<!-- Titolo generato automaticamente -->|access-date=25 October 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304001545/http://www.edison.it/it/investor-relations/bilanci-e-relazioni/index.shtml|archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref>


The company's controlling shareholder is [[Electricité de France]] with 99.4% of the capital.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edison.it/en/investor-relations/share-capital-and-shareholders.shtml|title=Capitale e azionariato - Edison<!-- Bot generated title -->|access-date=25 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140424030334/http://www.edison.it/en/investor-relations/share-capital-and-shareholders.shtml|archive-date=2014-04-24|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=autogenerated1/>
== Shareholders ==
The Company’s controlling shareholder is [[Electricité de France]] with 99.4% of the capital. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edison.it/en/investor-relations/share-capital-and-shareholders.shtml|title=Capitale e azionariato - Edison<!-- Bot generated title -->|publisher=|accessdate=25 October 2017}}</ref><ref name=autogenerated1/>


On July 19, 2016, the company launched a whistleblowing platform available to its employees to collect information about wrongdoing and fight internal corruption.<ref>{{cite web|title=Announcement of the whistleblowing platform
== Corporate Whistleblowing ==
|url=http://www.edison.it/it/whistleblowing|publisher=Edison|access-date=23 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Policy Whistleblowing Edison|url=http://www.edison.it/sites/default/files/documenti/POLICY%20WHISTLEBLOWING.pdf|publisher=Edison|access-date=23 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811075417/http://www.edison.it/sites/default/files/documenti/POLICY%20WHISTLEBLOWING.pdf|archive-date=2016-08-11|url-status=dead}}</ref>
On July 19, 2016 the company launched a whistleblowing platform available to its employees in order to collect information about wrongdoing and fight internal corruption.<ref>{{cite web|title=Announcement of the whistleblowing platform
|url=http://www.edison.it/it/whistleblowing|publisher=Edison|accessdate=23 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Policy Whistleblowing Edison
|url=http://www.edison.it/sites/default/files/documenti/POLICY%20WHISTLEBLOWING.pdf|publisher=Edison|accessdate=23 July 2016}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist|26em}}
{{Reflist|26em}}


[[Category:Power companies of Italy]]
[[Category:Electric power companies of Italy]]
[[Category:Oil and gas companies of Italy]]
[[Category:Oil and gas companies of Italy]]
[[Category:Italian brands]]
[[Category:Italian brands]]
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[[Category:1884 establishments in Italy]]
[[Category:1884 establishments in Italy]]
[[Category:Électricité de France]]
[[Category:Électricité de France]]
[[Category:2012 mergers and acquisitions]]

Latest revision as of 19:51, 10 November 2024

Edison S.p.A.
Company typePublic
IndustryEnergy industry
Founded1884 (1884)
Headquarters,
Key people
Bruno Lescoeur (CEO)
Jean-Bernard Lévy (Chairman)
ProductsNatural gas
Electric power
Revenue€9.159 billion (2018)[1]
€793 million (2018)[1]
€199 million (2018)[1]
Total assets€6.557 billion (2018)[1]
Total equity€6.141 billion (2018)[1]
Number of employees
5,372 (2018)
ParentÉlectricité de France (99.4%)
Websitewww.edison.it

Edison S.p.A. is an Italian electric utility company headquartered in Milan. The company was established in 1884 and acquired by Electricité de France in 2012. Edison employs more than 5,000 people in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. The chairman of the board is Luc Rémont (CEO of EDF) and the chief executive officer is Nicola Monti.

History

[edit]

Early history (1884-1966)

[edit]

Founded in 1884 by Giuseppe Colombo in Milan, Italy, as "Società generale italiana di elettricità sistema Edison", it served the purpose of introducing and applying Thomas Edison's inventions to Italy. Indeed, Colombo, an engineering professor, was a great admirer of Edison, whom he had met in the United States in 1881, securing an exclusive licence for some of his patents for Italy and hiring some of his collaborators.[2] Edison operated the Santa Radegonda power plant, Europe's first power plant.[3] In the following decades, Edison continued growing, especially in hydroelectric power, and came to control power distribution in most of northern Italy. In 1962, the centre-left coalition government of Christian Democrats and Socialists decided to nationalize the electric sector in Italy to break the oligopolistic power of the four dominant electric companies that comprised the market.[4] With the compensation money it obtained from the state, Edison, then headed by Giorgio Valerio, invested heavily to diversify its activities, primarily in the petrochemical sector and by buying the Standa supermarkets chain, continuing producing power only for self-consumption.[5] This strategy was unsuccessful, though, as competition with both state-owned Enrico Mattei's giant Eni and Montecatini, a large private chemical company, proved too hard, so in 1965, Edison was eventually forced to merge with Montecatini, forming Montedison, the largest chemical company in the country.[6]

Montedison era (1966-2001)

[edit]

Montedison initially was doing well, dominating about 80% of the national chemical market and 15% of the European Community market, but the 1973 oil crisis proved disastrous for the company that was forced to seek state intervention to avoid bankruptcy; by the mid 1970s, the Italian state came to own about 17% of Montedison, becoming its largest single shareholder, but its effective control was even greater as state-owned banks held shares. The company became increasingly an arm of state social policy, and employment goals were favored over profits.[7]

In 1980, Mario Schimberni became chairman and negotiated the sale of the state-owned shares to Gemina, a consortium of banks and private companies, to free Montedison from government interference. Through a rigorous cost-cutting plan and joint ventures with Mitsui and Hercules Inc., Schimberni transformed the money-losing manufacturer of commodity chemicals and plastics into a profitable, diversified holding company.[8]

In 1985, Raul Gardini, an agribusiness tycoon, started buying into Montedison, and by 1987, he came to own 40% of the company's shares, thus taking over the company and forcing Schimberni to leave. Gardini wanted to reorganize and integrate the company into his sugar and fertilizer empire, but the debt burden he incurred during the takeover rapidly brought Montedison to the threshold of bankruptcy, forcing Gardini to seek state aid. In 1988, a new joint venture was formed with Eni, called Enimont, in which both companies had 40% of the shares, while 20% was sold on the market. In 1990, Eni bought all of Montedison's shares in Enimont, and Montedison withdrew from the chemical sector to pursue a role as an energy company.[9]

In 1991, Montedison revived the name Edison to rebrand SELM, a spin-off company into which all its energy assets had been put in 1978.[10] In 1999, the Bersani decree liberalized the Italian energy market and reintroduced competition in the electric market, and later the Letta decree opened up the natural gas market, allowing Edison to begin supplying electricity to eligible customers and expanding its downstream presence in the natural gas sector.[11]

As Edison S.p.A. (2002-present)

[edit]

In 2001, a successful hostile bid to acquire Montedison (that controlled Edison as a subsidiary) was launched by Italenergia SpA, a consortium set up by Fiat, Electricité de France, Sanpaolo IMI, Banca Intesa, and other investors. Following the takeover, Montedison was reorganized by selling all its nonenergy assets. In 2002, Montedison was merged with Edison, Sondel, and Fiat Energia under the name of Edison SpA. In 2005, Transalpina di Energia, a consortium set up by Electricité de France and A2A, purchased 63.3% of the common shares of Edison from Italenergia. In 2012, Electricité de France finally bought 99.5% of Edison's shares and delisted it from Milan stock exchange.[12]

Operations

[edit]

Edison's primary activities are production and distribution of electricity and natural gas. Edison and its subsidiaries operate across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.[13][14][15]

Edison is the second-largest power producer in Italy (about 15% of national output) and in Greece (about 12% of national output).[13] It operates in Greece through subsidiary Elpedison (50% interest, a joint venture between Edison and Hellenic Petroleum).[16] Together with DEPA, it develops the Greece–Italy pipeline project.[17]

Hydrocarbon operations include exploration, production, and distribution of natural gas and crude oil. As of 2010, Edison owned 80 hydrocarbons concessions and permits with hydrocarbons reserves of 52.8×10^9 m3 (1.86×10^12 cu ft).[18]

Financial results

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In million € 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008
Gross revenue 12,325 12,335 12,014 12,097 10,446 8,867 10,064
EBITDA 814 1,009 1,103 1,003 1,369 1,471 1,643
Net revenue 40 96 81 871 21 240 346

[19][20][21][22]

The company's controlling shareholder is Electricité de France with 99.4% of the capital.[23][15]

On July 19, 2016, the company launched a whistleblowing platform available to its employees to collect information about wrongdoing and fight internal corruption.[24][25]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e "Economic and financial figures". Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  2. ^ Freni, Giuseppe; Kurz, Heinz D.; Lavezzi, Mario; Signorino, Rodolfo (2016). Economic theory and its history. Routledge. pp. 406–407. ISBN 9781138186590.
  3. ^ Dyer, Frank Louis; Martin, Thomas Commerford (2001). Edison : his life and inventions. University Press of the Pacific. p. 283. ISBN 0898756707.
  4. ^ Ginzburg, Paul (1990). A History of Contemporary Italy: 1943-80. Penguin Books. pp. Chapter 8. ISBN 9780141931678.
  5. ^ "Montedison S.p.A. - Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on Montedison S.p.A." www.referenceforbusiness.com. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  6. ^ McCarthy, Patrick (1997). The crisis of the Italian state : from the origins of the Cold War to the fall of Berlusconi and beyond. New York: St. Martin's Press. p. 85. ISBN 0312163592.
  7. ^ Moss Kanter, Rosabeth; Stein, Barry A.; Jick, Todd D. (1992). The Challenge of organizational change : how companies experience it and leaders guide it. New York: Free Press, a division of Simon & Schuster Inc. p. 255. ISBN 0743254465.
  8. ^ Moss Kanter, Rosabeth; Stein, Barry A.; Jick, Todd D. (1992). The Challenge of organizational change : how companies experience it and leaders guide it. New York: Free Press, a division of Simon & Schuster Inc. pp. 257–267. ISBN 0743254465.
  9. ^ Dunford, Michael; Greco, Lidia (2006). After the Three Italies: Wealth, Inequality and Industrial Change (Chapter 9). Hoboken, New Jersey: Blackwell Publishing. pp. 245–281. ISBN 978-1-405-12520-8.
  10. ^ "Montedison now set on more practical, less grandiose course". Independent Chemical Information Service. 7 July 1991. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  11. ^ Monti, Nicola (2020). "From Letta and Bersani Decrees to the Future Challenges. The Role of Edison". The Italian Utilities Industry. link.springer.com. pp. 85–97. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-37677-2_5. ISBN 978-3-030-37676-5. S2CID 214234584. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  12. ^ Raj, Chari (2015). Life After Privatization. Oxford University Press. p. 170. ISBN 9780199658312.
  13. ^ a b "Who'S Who Sutter'S International Red Series". Retrieved 25 October 2017.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ "Fact sheet on Edison's activities in the hydrocarbons sector". Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  15. ^ a b "Quote Not Found - Wall Street Journal". quotes.wsj.com. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  16. ^ "Who we are". Edison. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  17. ^ "Interconnection Turkey Greece Italy (ITGI) Pipeline - Hydrocarbons Technology". Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  18. ^ "Hydrocarbons business" (PDF). Edison. Retrieved 25 April 2013.[permanent dead link]
  19. ^ http://www.edison.it/financial_statement_2011/attachments/it/Bilancio_Annuale_2011.pdf[permanent dead link]
  20. ^ "Edison: utile netto 2013 sale a 96 milioni di euro". Firstonline. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  21. ^ "Highlights". Archived from the original on 2016-03-24. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  22. ^ "Archivi dei bilanci e delle relazioni infra-annuali – Edison". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  23. ^ "Capitale e azionariato - Edison". Archived from the original on 2014-04-24. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  24. ^ "Announcement of the whistleblowing platform". Edison. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  25. ^ "Policy Whistleblowing Edison" (PDF). Edison. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-08-11. Retrieved 23 July 2016.