11 January 2008 - Gide Loyrette Nouel, legal counsel to EDF in connection with the hive off of its distribution business to a subsidiary:

Gide Loyrette Nouel advised EDF in connection with the hive off of its electricity distribution business to a subsidiary, in accordance with European legislation that has been adopted into French law. This business is now conducted by Electricité Réseau Distribution France (ERDF), a wholly-owned EDF subsidiary. EDF has assigned to this subsidiary of all of resources necessary for it to carry on this business. The assignment was approved by the shareholders of both companies in general meetings held in December 2007.

The role of ERDF is to handle the development, operation and maintenance of the public electricity distribution network in France, deciding what investments are required, and acting as an entirely independent entity, to guarantee equitable and non-discriminatory access to this network to all users, allowing each energy supplier to deliver power to its customers on the same terms and conditions as EDF.

The activities of ERDF will remain under the supervision of the French Energy Regulation Commission.

ERDF has 37 000 employees, it serves 30 million customers and operates the largest electricity distribution network in Europe with 1.2 million km of high and low voltage transmission lines. Its turnover for 2006 was 11 billion euros.

Legal counsel to EDF :
Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I. (Hugues Mathez, Jean-Emmanuel Skovron and Christine Miles).