The site currently operated by Nexans in Jeumont was created more than a century ago to produce electrical cables (then insulated with impregnated paper) and telephone cables. With the river Sambre running through it, the site has seen different types of production over the decades. Between 2005 and 2011, the site was restructured to concentrate activity on the left bank and specialise in the manufacture of low-voltage power cables and superconductors. The facilities on the right bank were partially and progressively dismantled, leaving the area as an unused wasteland. Nexans decided to rehabilitate this part of the site and convert it into a photovoltaic park.

Artelia carried out preliminary studies to identify the pollution caused by more than a century of industrial activity (presence of hydrocarbons, raw metals, etc.). Carried out in 2022, the work involved extracting nearly 2.5 tonnes of soil and 1.5 tonnes of grease and tar, which were disposed of in an approved facility. Our teams also carried out the demolition of all the buildings and superstructures, managing the disposal of the resulting rubble and waste. They also monitored residual pollution and worked with Neoen, the operator of the photovoltaic park, to draw up the regulatory files prior to its installation.