The announcement was made with great fanfare last May at the Elysee Palace (as part of the Choose France program): FrestigHy is setting up in the Somme, in Languevoisin to be more precise. This company (which will be classified Seveso high threshold) plans to be commissioned in 2030.
This Thursday, November 28, Axel de Bienassis, development director and Thomas Habas, project manager, presented their project.
What is FertigHy?
In June 2023, the FertigHy company was born from a consortium of European players (EIT InnoEnergu, RIC Energy, MAIRE, Siemens Financial Services, InVivo and Heineken). This new company aims to pave the way for the transition to a low-carbon European fertilizer industry.
The investment project located in the East of the Somme should enable the creation of 250 direct jobs in the region for an investment estimated at 1.3 billion euros.
The Construction of this factory should begin in 2026 or 2027. Once completed in 2030, it will provide each year 500,000 tonnes of low carbon fertilizerwhich is equivalent to around 15% of the consumption of the French agricultural sector. A second factory should be built in Spain and will be operational shortly after the French factory. “The project would contribute to French and European food sovereignty through the relocation of strategic production for our agricultural sectors, today very dependent on imports from outside the European Union.”
So, obviously, when we talk about fertilizer factories, we think of the AZF dramas in Toulouse or the explosion of the stock of ammonium nitrate in a factory in Beirut in 2020.
“The population has concerns. They must be lifted as quickly as possible. This company must provide solutions, not problems,” promises José Rioja, president of the Eastern Somme community of communes.
However, Axel de Bienassis wants to be reassuring: “Certainly, we are talking about a high-threshold Seveso factory. It is a classification which allows, above all, increased vigilance on the part of operators and state services on the operation of the factory. Obviously, a danger study is carried out. An important choice was made, it is to produce a fertilizer which is CAN 27. We add limestone which stabilizes the product and which greatly reduces its capacity to detonate.”
Neighboring other Seveso sites
In addition, FertigHy will be adjacent to other Seveso, Ajinomoto and Tereos sites. Is this proximity a source of constraints? “No, we’re about four kilometers away as the crow flies. Which means we are far from risk.”
In order to ensure the electricity supply of the future factory, a connection to the electricity network is necessary, we are the project manager of RTE. The connection would consist of creating an underground 225,000 volt connection of approximately 12 kilometers between the existing Pertain electrical substation and the future installation.
Public consultation in the Somme
Tuesday, December 3, the public consultation on this project begins. Several meetings are planned to inform, debate, exchange, propose and give opinions on the project.
Opening public meeting on Tuesday, December 3, 6 p.m., at the Nouvelle Scène in Nesle.
Local meeting 1, Wednesday December 4, 2-4 p.m. at the Ham media library.
A contribution to agricultural sovereignty, online webinar on Thursday December 12 at 6 p.m.
Risk prevention, Wednesday December 18, 6 p.m., at the Nouvelle Scène de Nesle.
Local meeting 2, Thursday December 19, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Auchan de Nesle.
Environmental issues, Wednesday January 8, 6 p.m., at the Ercheu multipurpose room.
Close meeting 3, Thursday January 16, morning, Jean-Charles Peltier high school, Ham.
Employment, training, Thursday January 16, 6 p.m., Jean Dufeux room, Ham.
Public summary meeting, Thursday January 30, 6 p.m., at the Nouvelle Scène in Nesle.
Also go online to consult the meeting minutes or provide your point of view on www.concertation-projet-fertighy.fr
