Eni Gas & Power France
Corporate brand
UnclaimedFrench natural-gas and energy company formerly known as Altergaz and wholly acquired by Eni in 2012.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Eni Gas & Power France is a French energy company whose roots lie in Altergaz, established in 2003 by Taoufik Tahar, Robert Delbos and Jean-Paul George. The company was created during the opening of the French natural-gas market to competition and became one of the earliest French companies to enter the natural-gas supply business outside the historical incumbent structure. Its activities centered on supplying natural gas to customers in France, with the company developing a commercial and industrial relationship with Eni, the Italian oil and gas group. Altergaz combined entrepreneurial leadership with experience from France's established energy sector. Tahar had founded the French credit-brokerage company Easyloan, while Delbos had held treasury and chief financial officer responsibilities at EDF-GDF and later led Petrofigaz. George had been a senior commercial executive at GDF and subsequently founded and led Cofathec. Their sector knowledge supported Altergaz's effort to build a position in a newly competitive energy market. In 2004, entrepreneur Georges Cohen, founder of Transiciel, joined Altergaz as an investor and associate. The company later accessed public capital markets: Altergaz was listed on the Paris Bourse in 2005. Its relationship with Eni deepened from 2007 through an industrial and financial partnership. Eni became Altergaz's largest shareholder in 2010, holding more than 63 percent of the capital, and increased its holding to approximately 98 percent in 2011. The business was reported to have generated turnover of about €1.6 billion in 2012, although the available reference does not specify the precise accounting period or methodology behind that figure. On 1 October 2012, Eni completed the acquisition of the remaining Altergaz shares and renamed the company Eni Gas & Power France. The transaction placed the French gas supplier fully within Eni's corporate structure and marked the transition from an independent, entrepreneur-backed challenger to a wholly owned French operating company of an international energy group. The available material primarily documents the company's natural-gas-supply role and ownership history; it does not provide sufficient detail to establish a complete current product portfolio, present legal status, leadership roster or current website.
History
Eni Gas & Power France developed from Altergaz, a French natural-gas company founded in 2003 by Taoufik Tahar, Robert Delbos and Jean-Paul George. The company emerged during the liberalization of the French energy market, when competition was being introduced into sectors historically dominated by incumbent utilities. Altergaz is described in the available reference as the first French natural-gas company of its kind, reflecting its role as an early independent entrant into the country's competitive gas-supply market. The founders brought complementary commercial and industry experience. Tahar had founded Easyloan, identified in the reference as France's first credit broker. Delbos had served as chief of treasury and chief financial officer of EDF-GDF, the historical French electricity and gas group now represented by separate EDF and Engie activities, and later became chairman and chief executive of Petrofigaz. George had been GDF's number-two executive and sales manager during the 1990s before founding and leading the Cofathec group, later associated with Engie's energy-services activities. This background gave Altergaz access to senior expertise in finance, gas markets and customer development. In 2004, Georges Cohen joined the company as a business angel and associate. Cohen was known as the founder of Transiciel, and his involvement added entrepreneurial and financial backing during Altergaz's early expansion. The company subsequently pursued a public-capital route and was listed on the Paris Bourse in 2005. The reference material does not provide the company's ticker, detailed offering documents or the duration of its public listing. Altergaz's relationship with Eni began in 2007 through an industrial and financial partnership. Rather than remaining only an external commercial partner, Eni progressively increased its ownership. By 2010 it was Altergaz's largest shareholder, with more than 63 percent of the capital. In 2011, Eni held roughly 98 percent of the shares. This progression transformed Altergaz from an independently backed French challenger into an entity effectively controlled by a major international oil and gas group. The available material reports turnover of approximately €1.6 billion for 2012. Because the reference does not specify whether this amount represents consolidated revenue, a fiscal-year total or another measure, it should be treated as a historical reported figure rather than a basis for comparison with later results. On 1 October 2012, Eni acquired Altergaz in full. Following completion, the company was renamed Eni Gas & Power France. The name change formalized its integration into Eni's French energy operations and ended Altergaz's independent corporate identity. The supplied sources do not establish subsequent changes to the entity, its legal structure, its current management, or whether the Eni Gas & Power France name remains an active customer-facing brand. They also do not provide enough information to document a broader electricity portfolio, specific tariffs, customer segments or current market share.
- 2012
Full acquisition and rebranding
[1]On 1 October, Eni acquires Altergaz in full and renames it Eni Gas & Power France.
- 2011
Eni reaches approximately 98 percent ownership
[1]Eni's shareholding in Altergaz rises to approximately 98 percent.
- 2010
Eni becomes the leading shareholder
[1]Eni becomes Altergaz's largest shareholder with more than 63 percent of the capital.
- 2007
Industrial and financial partnership with Eni
[1]Altergaz begins a substantial industrial and financial partnership with Eni.
- 2005
Altergaz is listed on the Paris Bourse
[1]Altergaz gains a listing on the Paris Bourse during its independent growth phase.
- 2004
Georges Cohen joins as investor
[1]Entrepreneur Georges Cohen, founder of Transiciel, joins Altergaz as a business angel and associate.
- 2003
Altergaz is founded
[1]Taoufik Tahar, Robert Delbos and Jean-Paul George establish Altergaz as an independent French natural-gas company.
Products and positioning
A competitive French natural-gas supplier that originated as an independent challenger to incumbent energy providers and later operated under the ownership of Italy's Eni.
Energy supply · 2003
Natural-gas supply
The company's documented core activity was the supply of natural gas in France. Under the Altergaz name, it operated as an early independent entrant into the competitive French gas market; after Eni's acquisition, the activity continued under the Eni Gas & Power France identity. The supplied references do not identify specific tariffs, contract formats, customer numbers or technical distribution assets.
Brand decisions
2012
Complete acquisition and change of corporate nameM&ABackground
Eni already held approximately 98 percent of Altergaz's shares and moved to consolidate full ownership.
Action taken
On 1 October 2012, Eni acquired the remaining interest and renamed Altergaz Eni Gas & Power France.
Aftermath
Altergaz ceased to operate as an independent corporate identity in the supplied historical account and became part of Eni's French operations.
2007
Build an industrial and financial partnership with EniStrategyBackground
Altergaz was an independent French gas supplier operating in an increasingly competitive market and sought a relationship with a large international energy company.
Action taken
The company entered an industrial and financial partnership with Eni, which subsequently increased its equity stake.
Aftermath
The partnership led to Eni becoming the majority shareholder and ultimately acquiring the company outright.
Sources1 sources
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