ENGIE Solutions recently concluded its first connection contract to the cooling network, marking the launch of this initiative in the municipality of Vélizy-Villacoublay. During the Île-de-France Mayors’ Fair, Yann Madigou, Director of Major Territories at ENGIE Solutions France, Pascal Thévenot, Mayor of Vélizy-Villacoublay, and Charles-Antoine Goffin, Vice President and Director of Microwave & Imaging Sub-Systems activities at Thales, formalized this collaboration by signing the inaugural contract for the future cooling network named Vélifrio.

This contract marks a significant milestone in the development project of the cooling network in Vélizy-Villacoublay. Vélifrio is responsible for the construction, development, and operation of this private network, with Thales as the first subscriber. With a capacity of 16.4 MW, the future cooling plant will be located on the current site of the main gas boiler plant of the Vélidis heating network. This site is already supplied by low-energy geothermal energy operated by ENGIE Solutions. An initial 1.7 km network of buried pipelines will connect Thales Group buildings, allowing the cooling of the first 20,000 m² of their facilities.

The need to cool industrial and public buildings is intensifying in response to the predicted increase in heat waves in France. With air conditioning already accounting for 6% of national electricity consumption, communities must prepare and adopt sustainable cooling solutions. ENGIE Solutions, a global leader in cooling networks, is pleased to support Vélizy-Villacoublay and the Thales Group in their energy transition with the Vélifrio project, which is estimated to cost 20 million euros.