The sale of Alstom's power generation and transmission businesses to GE was finalised on 2 November 2015, after which the Alstom Group has operated solely in the rail sector. In late 2017, Alstom announced a proposed merger with Siemens Mobility of Germany, the combined entity would be called "Siemens Alstom" and would compete with China's CRRC; however, in February 2019, the European Commission prohibited this merger. Subsequently, on February 13, 2020 the company signed a Letter of Agreement to purchase the Canadian train maker, Bombardier Transportation. Alsthom was founded in 1928 from the merger of French heavy engineering interests of the Thomson-Houston Electric Company (then part of General Electric) – the "Compagnie française pour l'exploitation des procédés Thomson Houston" (or Compagnie Française Thomson Houston, CFTH) and Société Alsacienne de Constructions Mécaniques, with the first factory in Belfort. In 1932, Alsthom expanded into transportation by acquiring Constructions Electriques de France, Tarbes, a manufacturer of electric locomotives as well as electrical and hydraulic equipment. In 1969, Compagnie Générale d'Electricité (CGE) became the majority shareholder of Alsthom. In 1976, Alsthom merged with Chantiers de l'Atlantique, becoming Alsthom Atlantique. Thus, the business expanded into marine. The next year, it constructed the first 1300 MW generator set for the Paluel power station, setting a world record with an output of 1500 MW. In 1978, Alsthom delivered its first TGV to SNCF. The TGV went on to break world rail speed records in 1981 (at ) and in 1990 (at ). It also set the world endurance record for high-speed train lines in 2001, travelling the from Calais to Marseille in 3 hours and 29 minutes. In 1986, Alsthom Belfort received an order from EDF for the largest gas turbine in the world (212 MW). In 1988–89, holding company CGEE Alsthom acquired ACEC Energie (hydroturbines and electrical equipment for the nuclear industry) and ACEC Automatisme (automation) from the dissolution of Belgian electrical engineering company ACEC SA. Alsthom acquired 100% of ACEC's transport division, renaming it "ACEC Transport".