C.F.M. Files: Lot M–88: Box 2061: CFM Documents
Report of the Committee of Hydro-Electric Experts on Mont Cenis72
C.F.M.(46) 159
Franco-Italian Frontier
- I.
- Introduction.
- II.
- Water supplied from the Lake of Mont Cenis for Italian hydro-electric purposes.
- III.
- A. Guarantees to be given by France to Italy, in connection with the cession of the Plateau of Mont Cenis, in respect of water supplied from the Lake of Mont Cenis for hydro-electric purposes.
- B. Guarantees to be given by France to Italy, in connection with the cession of the Plateau of Mont Cenis, in respect of electricity produced at the Gran Scala hydro-electric plant.
- IV.
- Conclusion.
- V.
- Annex: Map of hydro-electric resources at Mont Cenis and vicinity.73
I. Introduction
On June 23rd, 1946, at their one hundred and first meeting, the Deputies instructed the Committee of Experts, representatives of the delegation of the U.S.S.R. (Mr. G. F. Saksin and Mr. M.I. Ivanov), U.S.A. (Mr. L. Unger), U.K. (Mr. E. K. Wilkinson) and France (M. E. Ginocchio) (and M. Ph. Clément acting as secretary), to study the question of guarantees to be granted by France to Italy in connexion with the cession to France of the Mont Cenis Plateau, claimed by France in her memorandum C.F.M.(D) (46)1574 submitted to the Council of Foreign Ministers by the French Delegation on February 4th, 1946. This document contained the following paragraph defining the French claim at Mont Cenis:
“Rectification No. 2—Mont Cenis Plateau.
The proposed boundary shall leave the present French frontier at about 3 kilometres northwest of the summit of Roche Melon, cross the road at about 4 kilometres southeast of the Hospice and rejoin the frontier at about 4 kilometres northeast of Mont d’Ambin.”
At the same meeting on June 23rd the Deputies fixed the following Terms of Reference for the work of the Experts:
“To examine the question of the guarantees to be given by France to Italy, in connexion with the cession of the Plateau of Mont Cenis, in order to ensure to Italy the same facilities as she at present enjoys in respect of water supplied from the Lake of Mont Cenis for hydroelectric purposes.” (C.F.M.(46) 146)
In accordance with these Terms of Reference the Committee of the above mentioned Hydro-Electric Experts on the same evening of June 23rd, 1946, proceeded to their work. As a result of their study and discussion of the documents and materials on the subject of the Plateau of Mont Cenis which have been submitted to the Council of Ministers, the Committee have drawn up the following report which is hereby respectfully submitted.
II. Water Supplied From the Lake of Mont Cenis for Italian Hydro-Electric Purposes
The Mont Cenis district, adjoining the present French border, is a high plateau with an area of approximately 80 square kilometers, surrounded by a mountain chain with the following principal summits: [Page 666] Roche Michel (3.423 meters), Pointe Clairy (3.173 meters), and Signal de Clery (3.315 meters). In the center of the plateau lies a large lake, Mont Cenis, which has a capacity of 32,000,000 cubic meters of water available for use.
The Plateau and Lake of Mont Cenis are about 60 kilometres to the west of the Italian industrial center of Torino. The basis [basic?] resource of the district is the water which is used by three hydroelectric plants, namely Gran Scala, Venaus and Mompantero, situated respectively some 3, 11 and 17 kilometres to the southeast of the Lake. The Gran Scala plant lies within the territory to be included in the cession, while the Venaus and Mompantero plants lie in Italy outside this territory. The water from the Lake of Mont Cenis is supplied to those plants by means of conduits, the quantities and rates of flow of water being controlled at the south-eastern end of the Lake. Adjacent to the Gran Scala plant there is a pumping plant for the purpose of pumping water in summer to the Lake of Mont Cenis.
The following table summarizes some relevant facts concerning the plants which are supplied with water from the Lake of Mont Cenis:
| Hyatro-Electric Plants | Installed Capacity, Kw | Approximate Annual Output in Millions of Kwh |
| 1. Gran Scala | 7,000 | 20 |
| 2. Venaus | 48,000 | 135 |
| 3. Mompantero | 6,750 | 55 |
| Total | 61,750 | 210 kwh |
Of the total annual output of these three plants amounting to approximately 210 million K.W.H. about 140 million K.W.H. is generated from water supplied from the Lake of Mont Cenis. The balance, being generated from the free flow of the river Cenischia at the Venaus and Mompantero plants, would not be affected by the rectification.
It is stated in Table VI of the Italian Atlas entitled “The Italo-French Frontier” that “The hydro-electric stations fed by the Lake of Mont Cenis supply power to the Italian State Railways and to the industrial plants of Turin, especially to those of the Fiat group. Their production covers 60% of the needs of Turin and of her industries.” This statement has not been verified by the Committee.
Having regard to the foregoing circumstances, the Committee recommend, in connexion with the cession of the Plateau of Mont Cenis, that the following guarantees should be given by France to Italy in order to ensure to Italy the same facilities as she at present enjoys in respect of water supplied from the Lake of Mont Cenis for hydro-electric purposes. Unless otherwise mutually agreed between France and Italy it is recommended that these guarantees shall remain force in perpetuity.
[Page 667]III.
a. guarantees to be given by france to italy, in connexion with the cession of the plateau of mont cenis, in respect of water supplies from the lake of mont cenis for hydro-electric purposes
- (a)
- France shall control the supply of water from the Lake of Mont Cenis to the underground conduits supplying the Gran Scala, Venaus and Mompantero hydro-electric plants, so as to supply for those plants such quantities of water at such rates of flow as Italy may require.
- (b)
- France shall repair and maintain in good and substantial condition and, as may be necessary, shall renew all the works required for the purposes of controlling and supplying the water in accordance with paragraph (a) insofar as these works are within French territory.
- (c)
- France shall inform Italy, as and when required by Italy, of the amount of water in the Lake of Mont Cenis and of any other information pertaining thereto so as to enable Italy to determine the quantities of water and rates of flow to be supplied to the said underground conduits.
- (d)
- France shall carry out the foregoing provisions with due regard for economy and shall charge Italy the actual cost incurred in so doing.
b. guarantees to be given by france to italy, in connexion with the cession of the plateau of mont cenis, in respect of electricity produced at the gran scala hydro-electric plant
Note: Recognizing that the Committee may depart from its terms of reference in so doing, they nevertheless offer for the Foreign Ministers’ consideration the following guarantees to be accorded by France to Italy to ensure to Italy the supply of electricity generated at the Gran Scala hydro-electric plant. In studying the hydro-electric questions involved in the cession of the Mont Cenis district, the Committee confirmed its impression that the Gran Scala Plant was located in the territory to be ceded. With this in mind the Committee has attempted to anticipate the wishes of the Foreign Ministers in supplying them with these guarantees.
- (a)
- France shall operate the Gran Scala hydro-electric plant so as to generate (subject to the control of the supply of water as provided in Guarantee III A) such quantities of electricity at such rates of output as Italy may require, after the local requirements (which shall not substantially exceed the present requirements) in the vicinity of Gran Scala within French territory have been met.
- (b)
- France shall operate the pumping plant adjacent to the Gran Scala plant so as to pump water to the Lake of Mont Cenis as and when required by Italy.
- (c)
- France shall repair and maintain in good and substantial condition and, as may be necessary, shall renew all the works comprising the Gran Scala hydro-electric plant and pumping plant to gether with the transmission line and equipment from the Gran Scala plant to the Franco-Italian boundary.
- (d)
- France shall transmit over the transmission line from Gran Scala to the Franco-Italian boundary the electricity required by Italy as aforesaid, and shall deliver that electricity to Italy at the point at which that transmission line crosses the Franco-Italian boundary into Italian territory.
- (e)
- France shall maintain the voltage and periodicity of the electricity supplied as aforesaid at such values as Italy may reasonably require.
- (f)
- France shall arrange with Italy for telephone communication between Gran Scala and Italy and shall communicate with Italy in order to ensure that the Gran Scala plant, the pumping plant and transmission line are operated in such a manner as to comply with the foregoing guarantees.
- (g)
- The price to be charged by France and paid by Italy for the electricity available to Italy from the Gran Scala plant (after the local requirements as aforesaid have been met) shall be the same as the price charged in France for the supply of similar quantities of hydro-electricity in French territory in the neighbourhood of Mont Cenis or in other regions where conditions are comparable.
IV. Conclusion
The Committee suggest for the consideration of the Ministers that a Franco-Italian Supervisory Technical Commission should be established on the basis of parity in order to supervise and facilitate the execution of the foregoing guarantees which have the purpose of ensuring the same facilities as Italy enjoyed in respect of hydro-electric and water supplies from the Lake of Mont Cenis before the cession of this region to France.
This report was unanimously adopted by the Committee at their 5th meeting on 27th June, 1946.