An unprecedented inter-territorial agreement, a new concession contract with EDF, and sustained investments in the grid and street lighting: the Martinique Joint Energy Authority has undergone six years of transformation. These achievements are paving the way for the territory’s energy transition.
To make Martinique a leader in the energy sector. That is the goal the Syndicat mixte d’énergie de la Martinique (SMEM) has set for itself over the past few years. This upward trajectory has just been extended by the renewal of Ralph Monplaisir to his presidency on May 28 for a new six-year term. We will be publishing an interview with the re-elected president very soon.
The first major milestone came in March 2022. Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Réunion sign an agreement in Fort-de-France that is described as historic. For the first time, three island territories unite with a single voice against national operators to demand greater transparency and investment in their networks. A year later, in February 2023, a revision of the bylaws formalizes the expansion of the institution’s mandate: the joint electricity authority becomes the joint energy authority, signaling a scope that now extends far beyond mere electricity distribution.
The year 2024 confirms this momentum. In April, the SMEM organized a roundtable discussion in Martinique focused on the power grid in the overseas territories. The event brought together Martinique’s parliamentarians as well as the authorities responsible for electricity distribution in Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Réunion. It strengthened these territories’ united front against EDF and solidified their cooperation. That same year, the SMEM signed a new concession agreement with the operator for a 30-year term, closely aligned with the elected officials’ requirements and their ambitions for the development of the distribution network: expansion, reinforcement, and underground installation of power lines.
On the ground, the figures reflect this trend. According to the SMEM, nearly 17 million euros have been invested in the network since 2022. In addition to this, 28 million euros dedicated to the PEPP program, a new streetlight management solution. Twenty municipalities have already adopted it, resulting in 70 % in savings achieved.
Renewable energy, electric mobility, and smart grids: these are the areas where SMEM now intends to make progress, drawing on a new organizational structure designed to strengthen its capabilities. These initiatives are shaping the future of energy in Martinique.
Philippe Pied
