When cyclone Chido hit Mayotte at the end of 2024, causing extensive material damage and impacting the daily lives of all the people of the island, the response was immediate. Thanks to an unprecedented mobilization of over 20 Syndicats Départementaux d’Energie (SDE) and Territoires d’Energie (TE) across France, our teams were able to respond rapidly to the energy emergency.
Solidarity on a national scale
Faced with this disaster, the Fédération Nationale des Collectivités Concédantes et Régies (FNCCR) and its member local authorities expressed their massive and rapid support for the people of Mayotte. In record time, more than €150,000 was raised for our NGO to activate and support our operations in Mayotte.
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Many local authorities and energy unions have been involved in this initiative […]. Recently, in response to the exceptional situation in Mayotte, the FNCCR and its member local authorities expressed their support for the people of Mayotte. The difficulties encountered, particularly in terms of energy, called for an exemplary show of solidarity."
Charles-Antoine Gautier, Directeur général de la FNCCR
1% energy: a bridge between territories and international solidarity
This mobilization was made possible by the Oudin-Santini law, amended in 2006 on the initiative of FNCCR Chairman Xavier Pintat, which extended the international solidarity mechanism to the energy sector. The 1% energy scheme authorizes local authorities and energy associations to devote up to 1% of their budget to cooperative actions in the field of electricity and gas distribution.
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Energy is a basic necessity that is essential to a decent standard of living. The FNCCR believes that access to sustainable and long-term energy in remote areas of developing countries has a rightful place in the solidarity-based and decentralized cooperation initiatives that French local authorities can undertake. The trusted partnerships that many energy unions have chosen to forge with Electriciens sans frontières perfectly illustrate this approach and enable concrete projects to be carried out. We can only welcome this development."
Xavier Pintat, Président de la FNCCR
A lever for solidarity
Guy Hourcabie, President of the Syndicat Intercommunal d’Énergies, d’Équipement et d’Environnement de la Nièvre (SIEEEN) and Delegate Vice-President of the FNCCR, comments:
“Our Syndicate Committee approved exceptional aid in early 2025 for the “Cyclone Emergency in Mayotte” project, following the passage of cyclone Chido, which caused considerable damage and left many people stricken. On a trip to Reunion Island and Mayotte last month […], I had the pleasure of meeting the Electriciens sans frontières team in the field. Their work to restore access to electricity […] commands respect.”
For many years now, Electriciens sans frontières has been able to count on the support of the energy unions, in a climate of trust and partnership that structures both development projects and humanitarian emergencies.
These synergies are transformed into concrete actions in the field, always at the service of the most vulnerable populations.
We would like to thank our supporters:
Syndicat Départemental des Energies de Seine-et-Marne (SDESM – 77), Territoire d’Energie Tarn (SDET 81), SYNDICAT D’ENERGIE DES HAUTES-PYRENEES (SDE 65), SICAE DE L’OISE, SIPPEREC, SYADEN, SYNDICAT MIXTE D’ELECTRICITÉ DU GARD (SMEG30), Territoire d’Energie Somme, SDEHG, TERRITOIRE D’ÉNERGIE LOT ET GARONNE (TE 47), SDEE 48 Lozère, SDEG 32 (SDE du Gers), SYNDICAT DÉPARTEMENTAL D’ENERGIES DE LA DORDOGNE (SDE 24), Syndicat Départemental d’Énergie et d’équipement de Vendée, Territoire d’Energie Loire Atlantique (44), Territoire d’Energie Mayenne (53), Territoire d’Energie du Lot (46), Syndicat Départemental d’Energie de Tarn et Garonne (82), Le Syndicat Intercommunal d’Energies, d’Équipement et d’Environnement de la Nièvre (58), Syndicat d’Energie et d’Equipement du Finistère (SDEF 29), SYNDICAT INTERCOMMUNAL D’ÉNERGIES DU DÉPARTEMENT DE L’AVEYRON (SIEDA – 12), Syndicat départemental d’énergies de la Manche (SDEM50), SICECO 21, Sydec40.
