The four partners, ArcelorMittal, Rhodia, SNCF and Vattenfall join forces under the name Force Hydro to bid for the concessions tender to be launched by the French state in 2012.

Force Hydro aims to become a key player in large hydro power generation by targeting 2000MW of the 5300MW expected to be renewed in the coming years.

The partnership is led by Vattenfall, the third largest European hydro power producer with 11,320MW installed capacity in Sweden, Germany and Finland.

Vattenfall France president and spokesperson of Force Hydro, Frédéric de Maneville said this industrial partnership between ArcelorMittal, Rhodia, SNCF and Vattenfall gathers the required competencies to succeed in the competition process for the renewal of hydro concessions.

"It shows our commitment to pioneering energetic solutions on the long term, both from the producer and the consumers perspective" added Maneville.