The Convert family
For more than 60 years, the Convert family has been rehabilitating and building micro hydroelectric powerplants in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, France. Even today, the heirs of Agathange Convert run the FMG company while respecting the missions and values that shaped it.
A brief history
1628
Estienne Convert is a miller at the Chaffoux mill in Bresse near Saint-Etienne-du-Bois.
1887
Agathange Convert acquires the Vonnas mill (Ain region) and its outbuildings to develop a flour milling activity.
1920
Given the strong development of the activity, the Convert heir sons imagined building a hydroelectric plant to tenfold the driving force of the Ain river and improve the yields of their flour mill. The new Neuville-sur-Ain power plant allowed the production of 250 to 400 quintals of grain per day and supplied a network of 23 municipalities.
1946
Nationalization of electricity in France. This measure strongly threatens the activities of the Convert family companies, which narrowly escaped, at the cost of the fierce resistance of Agathange who came in person to defend the plant.
1957
The Convert mill in Vonnas burns and forces the family to abandon their milling activity and turn permanently to hydroelectricity.
1958-1965
Louis-Albert Convert build a powerplant in Saint-Rémy-de-Maurienne (Savoie) composed of three hydroelectric power stations installed in a row. The structure collects water from three streams and has been completed in 1965. The electricity generated is sold to EDF (Electricité de France).
1965-1968
Creation of the Forces Motrices du Gelon – FMG company and construction of La Rochette.
1980
Arrival of Christophe Convert, son of Louis-Albert.
1990-2004
A period of growth and development of the company follows under the leadership of Christophe Convert, the current President of Forces Motrices du Gelon. The company buys and extensively renovates power plants belonging to industrial sites that are ceasing activity or wish to sell their assets.
FMG thus acquired Corbel, Calvin, Glandieu, Pont de Bens and Moulin-Vieux power stations.
Also, during this period, FMG developed small hydroelectricity in Canada with the cardboard multinational company Cascades. Cascade new energy subsidiary would become Boralex, a major operator in wind, solar, hydroelectric and energy storage worldwide.
2004-2005
Construction of the Artemare power plant (Ain). With an installed capacity of 6 MW, Artemare represents the largest power plant built by FMG.
2010-2018
In-depth renovation of the nine power plants.
2016
Arrival of Joseph Convert, son of Christophe.
2021
Completion of the Notre-Dame-des-Millières power station (Savoie), one of the highest head power station in France with 937 meters, providing the equivalent of the electricity consumption of a thousand people.