Our history

130 years of history.

 

Our Birth

from 1881 to 1898

 
1881
 
 
Giuseppe Colombo recognises the potential of electricity ...
Giuseppe Colombo recognises the potential of electricity and creates the ‘Committee for the Promotion of the Electric Energy in Italy’ in Milan.
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1882
 
 
Committee for the Use of Electricity in Italy ...
Taking the name 'Committee for the Use of Electricity in Italy using the Edison System' it purchases the old Santa Radegonda theatre and installs the 'Jumbo' generators.
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1883
 
Santa Radegonda
The first electricity plant for the continuous distribution of energy in continental Europe ...
Santa Radegonda, the first electricity plant for the continuous distribution of energy in continental Europe, becomes operational in Milan. On December 26, La Scala Theatre is lit up by electricity for the first time for the Première of Ponchielli’s “La Gioconda”. The theatre lighting is powered by energy from the Santa Radegonda plant.
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1884
 
 
 
On January 6 the “Società Generale Italiana di Elettricità Sistema Edison” (General Italian Edison-System Electric Company) is founded in Milan with a capital of 3 million lire.
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1887
 
 
 
An agreement is signed with the Municipality of Milan to supply public street lighting. Construction works for a power station in Milan begin.
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1893
 
The tramway system in Milan.
 
 
 
 
 
1897
 
Porta Volta power station.
The Porta Volta power station comes into operation ...
Porta Volta power station comes into operation and Edison signs a 20-year agreement with the Municipality of Milan for electricity supply to the Milan tramway system through to 1916.
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1898
 
Bertini hydroelectric power station.
Water becomes the ‘white coal’ as hydroelectric power ...
Water becomes the ‘white coal’ as hydroelectric power gets increasingly developed. The Bertini hydroelectric power station opens at Paderno d’Adda using the most powerful generators (9,500 Kw) then in use in Italy and Europe.
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The Italian industrial development:

from 1914 to 1990

 
1914
 
The Cornate d’Adda power station opens.
Later renamed in memory of Carlo Esterle.
 
 
 
1919
 
 
 
Maria Artini, Italy’s first woman graduate in electrical engineering, begins work at Edison. She helps in the design and construction of the first extra high-voltage electricity line (130 kV) in Italy, known as the Brugherio Parma. From 1936 to 1946 she runs the Edison statistics department before returning to work with extra high-voltage networks (220 and 250 kV).
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1920
 
 
 
The Calusco d’Adda power station opens. The plant will be later renamed after Guido Semenza.
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1923
 
The company moves to Foro Buonaparte.
The company moves its headquarters...
The company moves its headquarters to the former head offices of the Mediterranean Railway Company, built in 1892 by architect Enrico Combi, at Foro Buonaparte 31, Milan.
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1930
 
The Electric House.
Following a suggestion by Gio Ponti ...
Following a suggestion by Gio Ponti, Edison aks Gruppo 7 to build the Electric House, an early example of rationalist architecture displaying all household uses of electricity: from lamps and household appliances to fans and ozonizers. The Electric House will be the first example of Italian architecture to be exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art of New York (1932).
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1931
 
 
 
Edison begins to supply gas to residential customers in Milan.
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1932
 
 
 
The Electric House goes on show at the Museum of Modern Art [MoMA] in New York. It is one of the first examples of rationalist architecture realized in Italy, built by Gruppo 7 and Piero Bottoni with the contribution of Edison.
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1937
 
 
 
Ferruccio Parri, later Prime Minister and one of the founding fathers of the Italian Constitution, is appointed head of Economic Affairs at Edison.
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1946
 
 
 
Edison is one of the founders of CISE [Centre for Information, Studies and Experiences] for the construction of the first nuclear reactor in Italy.
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1947
 
Edison and Ermanno Olmi.
 
 
 
 
1951
 
 
 
Official opening of the Santa Giustina dam; 152 meters in height, it is the tallest in Europe. The same year a young Ermanno Olmi starts work at Edison. His job is to organise entertainment for the company’s employees, most notably involving cinema. Olmi films the construction of the power plants and the workers at work, producing around 40 documentaries of enormous historical value.
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1954
 
 
 
Italian technology conquers international markets. E.g. Panedile Peruana is created in Peru to build hydroelectric plants in the Andes. In Brazil Edisonbras is established to build hydroelectric and thermoelectric plants. The company begins hydrocarbon exploration in Central and Southern Italy and Sicily.
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1958
 
 
 
Edison begins oil and gas exploration abroad.
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1963
 
 
 
As an effect of nationalization law in Italy, Edison ceases to operate in the electricity sector, though it retains ownership of the power plants supplying its industrial plants.
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1966
 
The hareholders agree to merge Edison with Montecatini.
On March 26 the shareholders ...
On March 26 the shareholders agree to merge Edison with Montecatini, Italy’s biggest chemicals group. The merger takes place on July 7 and the company's name is changed to "Montecatini Edison S.p.A".
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1969
 
The company’s name is abbreviated to Montedison.
 
 
 
 
 
1972
 
Montedison group is completely reorganized.
Key business activities are organized into ten divisions ...
Key business activities are organized into ten divisions. The power generating plants, hydrocarbons business and Milan Gas Company are absorbed into the parent’s services division.
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1979
 
 
 
In January a new company SELM (Servizi Elettrici Montedison) is created, wholly owned by Montedison. On March 10 the company’s 21 hydroelectric power generation plants and the two thermoelectric power plants at Porto Marghera are transferred to SELM. The Montedison Services Division continues to run the Milan Gas Company and to conduct research in hydrocarbons.
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1981
 
 
 
In July, Montedison sells the Gas Company to the Municipality of Milan, holder of a pre-emptive option to purchase.
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1987
 
Vega, the biggest oil platform in the Mediterranean
Which is still operational today ...
Which is still operational today, comes into operation off Pozzallo (Sicily). This is the most important Italian oilfield. A joint venture between SELM and Shell known as MonteShell acquires all of Total's Italian business.
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1990
 
 
 
In accordance with the government’s National Energy Plan, the company begins a long-term project to build new combined cogenerated cycle thermoelectric power plants at Montedison’s sites, bringing Edison's installed thermoelectric capacity to 2400 MW in five years, and calling for investments of approximately 2,000 billion lire.
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The new Edison:

from 1991 to 2010

 
1991
 
The company change the name to Edison S.p.A.
The SELM shareholder’s assembly of June 18 votes to change the name of the company to Edison S.p.A.
 
 
 
1992
 
 
 
Edison Gas consolidates its leadership among Italian private operators by buying Deutsche Shell’s mineral interests in Italy.
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1995
 
 
 
In January Edison sells its 50% stake in MonteShell (fuel distribution). In December, Edison and Électricité de France finalize the acquisition of ISE, Italy’s second-largest private electricity producer.
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1996
 
 
 
In December the 500 MW CET 3 plant in Taranto is completed belonging to the subsidiary ISE. This is the world's first power station to use three waste gases recovered from iron and steel manufacture in a combined cogenerated cycle.
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1997
 
 
 
The Bussi power plant is the first Italian electricity plant to receive UNI EN ISO 14001 environmental certification.
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1998
 
 
 
With the purchase of SAG Adriatica Gas of Padua (later renamed Edison D.G - Gas Distribution) Edison returns to the retail gas distribution sector.
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1999
 
 
 
New legislation paves the way for a progressive liberalization of the energy markets reintroducing competition to electricity and gas. Edison is immediately a key player in this new market, supplying electricity to private customers and increasing its presence in the gas sector.
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2000
 
 
 
Montedison takes over control of Falck and its subsidiary Sondel, which operates in the electricity industry.
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2001
 
 
 
In the summer Italenergia (Fiat, Edf, Tassara, Banca Roma, Banca Intesa, San Paolo) makes a public tender offer for Montedison and Edison, taking them over.
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2002
 
 
 
The merger of Montedison, Edison, Sondel and Fiat Energia gives birth to a new company that keeps the Edison name.
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2005
 
Inauguration of the Candela station.
The most efficient and eco-friendly thermoelectric plant in Europe.
 
 
 
2008
 
 
 
In September Edison enters the residential market supplying electricity to households.
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2009
 
Edison wins an international contract for Abu Qir in Egypt.
On the heels of its successful foray into the electricity sector ...
On the heels of its successful foray into the electricity sector, Edison broadens its offering to households to include natural gas. In November the Rovigo regasification terminal goes on stream. This facility is the first offshore installation of its kind, a global example of technological innovation. The same year Edison wins an international contract for the rights to carry out offshore hydrocarbon exploration and production at Abu Qir in Egypt.
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2010
 
 
 
By November, only two years after entering the residential market, Edison reaches the one million customer milestone. The same year Edison returns to La Scala to light up the Première with renewable energy produced in its own power plants.
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Today

 
2012
 
Edison becomes part of EDF Group.
A global leader in the energy market, which currently holds 99.48% of the company’s shares.
 
 
 
 
2013
 
Launch of the Edison Start award.
Edison marks its 130th anniversary with the launch of the Edison Start award, aimed at supporting innovation and entrepreneurship.
 
 
 
 
2017
 
The hydro plant in Pizzighettone.
Edison launches the smart living solutions and inaugurates the hydro plant in Pizzighettone, Italy.