Public Consultation launched for the Rhône Decarbonation Project

From the 24th of March to the 20th of June, 2025, a public consultation will be held for the Rhône Decarbonation project, developped by the companies Vicat, SPSE, Elengy, and RTE.

Organized in accordance with the French Environmental Code, this consultation is supervised by three independent guarantors appointed by the National Commission for Public Debate (CNDP). Open to all, the consultation aims to inform the public, address questions, and discuss various aspects of the project, in particular its purpose, implementation, and impacts. Various means of communication and expression will be set up to enable the public to inform themselves and contribute. 

The Rhône Decarbonation project involves the creation a carbon capture, transport, liquefaction, and ship-loading chain for CO2 emissions from the Vicat cement plant located in the Isère municipalities of Montalieu-Vercieu and Bouvesse-Quirieu. The project will use an existing pipeline running along the Rhône Valley and operated by SPSE, leading to a planned liquefaction and ship-loading terminal at the Fos Tonkin site operated by Elengy in Fos-sur-Mer, Bouches-du-Rhône. 

In a global context of fighting climate as a worldwide priority, the companies Vicat, SPSE, and Elengy have decided to combine their expertise to propose the Rhône Decarbonation project, contributing to accelerate the ecological transition. The project aims to make the Montalieu-Vercieu plant the first zero-emission CO2 cement plant in France by 2030, and to help meet European and national targets for greenhouse gas emission reduction and industrial decarbonization. It also aims to contribute to industrial sovereignty and and job preservation in the Rhône Valley. 

It would capture 1.2 million tons of unavoidable CO2 emissions from the Montalieu-Vercieu cement plant, transport them via the SPSE pipeline, and liquefy them at the Fos-Tonkin terminal. 

RTE, the French public electricity transmission system operator, is involved in the project through the electrical connection of the Vicat cement plant in Montalieu-Vercieu and the increase of electrical power at the Fos Tonkin terminal operated by Elengy. In accordance with the French Environmental Code, RTE systematically co-appoints the CNDP for large-scale projects, whether involving generation or consumption.