Om een beeld te krijgen van de geschiedenis van Aqualectra Distribution is een aantal jaartallen op een rijtje gezet.

L.B. Smith
The electricity supply on our island is directly related to the history of Aqualectra. In 1893, the then American Consul, Leonard B. Smith, obtained the right to generate and distribute electric energy in the island. To that end, he had had a power station built at Plantersrust: “de Curaçaose Inrichting voor Elektriciteit” (The Curaçao Establishment for Electricity).

From N.I.G.M. to O.G.E.M.
On September 18, 1897, light was burning for the first time in Curaçao. In 1907, Smith sold the plant to the firm S.E.L. Maduro & Sons for NAf. 30,000.00. Maduro & Sons obtained simultaneously the exclusive right from the Government to produce and distribute electricity during 25 years. It built a new electricity plant near Riffort. Partly due to the arrival of Shell and the social developments as a consequence of this, consumption increased so much, that it was no longer possible to cope with the demand. On account of this, the consumer could only dispose of electricity at night. The firm Maduro & Sons had for some time been looking for a buyer for the antiquated power plant. In 1927, the company was sold to the “Nederlands Indisch

Gas Maatschappij (N.I.G.M.) (Dutch Indies Gas Company). The purchase price was NAf. 443,000.00; approximately 2½ times the actual value. The N.I.G.M. nevertheless decided to make the purchase, because it wanted to be too quick for its competitors. It also took its other interests in the region into account, notably in Surinam. At that moment, the plant had a filing system with approximately 7,000 connected consumers. The N.I.G.M. also got a 50-year monopoly for the production and distribution of electric energy from the Government.

In 1950, the name N.I.G.M. was changed into O.G.E.M.: “Overzeese Gas en Elektriciteit Maatschappij (Oversees Gas and Electricity Company). O.G.E.M. had a subsidiary, the “Nederlands Antilliaanse Gas Maatschappij” (N.A.G.M.) (Dutch Antillean Gas Company), which distributed gas for household use. After the years of great prosperity had passed, O.G.E.M. notified the Government in the second half of the sixties, that it was no longer interested in prolonging the license. The Government, wanting to get hold of the utility companies, decided to purchase the facilities

KODELA
In 1975 and 1976, the Executive Council of the Island Territory of Curaçao (100% stockholder) created the corporations K.A.E. (Kompania di Awa i Elektrisidat) and K.P.D.A.E. The creation of these corporations was necessary in connection with the takeover of the production and distribution company for electricity in Curaçao from O.G.E.M. BV by the Island Territory of Curaçao as at July 1, 1977.

At first, it was meant for K.A.E. to be fully in charge of the production of water and electricity. It turned out, however, that, for practical reasons, it could not take over the diesel power stations of former O.G.E.M. Thus, part of the production remained under the management of K.P.D.A.E., the distribution company, on the basis of an agreement with K.A.E., so in fact the owner of the diesel power stations.

The name was, therefore, changed by amendment of the articles of incorporation into K.P.D.A.E., which means “Kompania di Produkshon i Distribushon di Awa di Elektrisidat di Kòrsou”. For the sake of practical manageability, a call sign was chosen for K.P.D.A.E., namely KODELA.

On April 1, 1988, the distribution of drinking water, which until that date fell under the responsibility of DWD (“Dienst Waterdistributie”) of the Island Territory of Curaçao, was completely integrated into KODELA. This means that since that date KODELA distributes and supplies not only electricity, but also water to all parts of the island.

From IUH to Aqualectra
In 1988, the Management Board of K.A.E. and KODELA integrated into Integrated Utility Holding (I.U.H.). From 2001 I.U.H, K.A.E. and KODELA continue under one name: Aqualectra, Aqualectra Production, and Aqualectra Distribution. In the meantime, a third operating company has been created: Aqualectra Multi Utility. The Management Board of Aqualectra is responsible for the policy and management of all the operating companies. The Holding Aqualectra is 100% stockholder of Aqualectra

Production, Aqualectra Distribution and Aqualectra Multi Utility. The Island Territory of Curaçao owns the stocks in Aqualectra. The American group of companies Mirant owns the preferred stocks in Aqualectra. The StIP (“Stichting Implementatie Privatisering”) (Foundation for the Implementation of Privatization) holds the stocks of the Island Territory of Curaçao.