History

The new hydro power plants built in the state meant an evolution of small generators and kept the spirit of enterprise among immigrants from the turn of the century and were definitive for the extraordinary industrial expression that modeled in the state.

The regionalized model, however, was becoming unable to meet the increasing demand for electricity that was in charge of Santa Catarina and Brazil, with the economy driven by developmental spurt established in the government of Juscelino Kubitschek.

Concerned about providing the infrastructure conditions suitable for new investments in the state , the Santa Catarina Government decides for setting up a company to implement a unique policie and in December 9, 1955, by State Decree No. 22, Governor Irenaeus Bornhausens created the Central power of Santa Catarina (CELESC).

The new company was created with the assignment to plan, build and operate, operating directly or through subsidiaries or affiliates the system of production, transmission and distribution of electricity in the State. On April 11, 1956, the Federal Decree No. 39,015 grant permission for the operation of the company. On 4 August the same year, his installation formally occurs through the General Assembly.

At that time, the darkness was common to most of people from Santa Catarina. The radio was still the valve which had the most modern means of communication and even Brazilians who enjoyed power, suffered with constant shortages.

The Regional Plan for electricity supply of Santa Catarina Government Jorge Lacerda, document produced by Companhia Brasileira de Energia in 1957, reports that “in September 1956, came into effect in the city of Joinville the following system of rationing: weekday, the power supply was suspended between six to eleven hours in the morning, and between 13 and 18 hours in the afternoon, on Sundays and holidays, the suspension was between at 6a.m to17 pm, in the absence of supplies Capivary (Plant thermoelectric)”.

That year, CELESC served only 16 municipalities, including cities like Florianopolis, Jaragua do Sul, Joinville and Mafra.

Notable dates:

– December 9, 1955: State Decree. N. 22 Establishment of the Company
– January 30, 1956: Appointment of Júlio Coelho de Souza as the 1st President
– April 11, 1956: Publication of Decree 39,015 – approval to operate of the Company by Juscelino Kubitschek
– July 31, 1956: Board meeting, with the first steps
– August 4, 1956: Effective installation of the Company by the General Assembly

At the beginning, CELESC it worked more as a planning agency of the Santa Catarina electrical system. Then took the role of holding and began to incorporate gradually the patrimony of ancient local businesses. That’s how the company started its expansion cycle.

From 1961 to 1962, become subsidiaries of CELESC the following companies like Pery Cia de Electricidade SA, Curitibanos – Cipel, Cia West Electricity Concordia – Ciaoeste, Cia Electricity Serrana SA de Lages – Cosel, Power and Company Light and Santa Catarina SA, Blumenau.

In 1962, CELESC already operated in 39 cities, serving over 87,000 consumers. At that time, the company was already present in the larger cities of Santa Catarina: Florianópolis, Joinville and Blumenau. In 1965, the Company reached the milestone of 100,000 customers.

On December 27, 1963, the Company at the Extraordinary General Meeting approves the merger of all its seven subsidiaries. In the 60s, still would be incorporated into the Força e Luz São Francisco S.A and Carrier Francisco Lindner.

From 1963 to 1967, CELESC inaugurates five hydroelectric plants: Garcia (Angelina), Celso Ramos (Faxinal dos Guedes), Palmeiras (Rio dos Cedros), Pery (Curitibanos) and Governador Ivo Silveira (Campos Novos).

A technical consolidation of CELESC and final design of the electrical system state occurred since 1965. Maintaining relevant investments in the expansion of services, at that time were constructed and energized the Transmission ubarão – Lages – Herval do Oeste – Xanxerê, considered the backbone of the electrical system of Santa Catarina, and Tronco Norte line between the substations Joinville, Sao Bento , Little Black River, Mafra and Canoinhas.

In August 1963, the administrative headquarters of CELESC starts working on the street Frei Caneca, Agronômica, in Florianópolis.

On September 15, 1966 is created in partnership with Sotelca (Jorge Lacerda Thermoelectric today), CATI – Center for Learning and Training Islet, embryo and Training Centre Improvement Company (CEFA).

From 1968 to 1973, Brazil grew surprisingly, with GDP recording annual growth rates higher than 11%. It was the period so-called “economic miracle”, with heavy investments in infrastructure. During this time period, CELESC enclosed about 50 municipalities to its service area and reached the end of 1974 with 300,000 consumers.

In 1973, CELESC incorporated the services of distribution of electricity in the municipality of Laguna, the UTE (southern state) system and Bom Sucesso Electricity Company (Caçador). The following year, the company begins the process of merger of Força e Luz Chapecó SA.

In that decade, CELESC debuted on the stock exchange: In 1973, the Company enters into the financial market and becomes public company, traded on Bovespa.

On August 22 of that year, it entered into an agreement for interconnection and supply of electric energy between CELESC, Eletrosul, Cia. Estadual de Energia Elétrica do Rio Grande do Sul (CEEE) and Cia Paranaense de Energia Elétrica(Copel). According to the contract, Eletrosul agreed to supply electricity at specific delivery points. In the same year, the same companies sign agreement for the supply of energy to be produced by Itaipu, which was still under construction. .

During the decade was expanded the electric power distribution system in the Vale do Itajaí and in the western region, with the construction of substations Camboriu and Itajai Salseiros, connected by transmission line Salseiros Itajaí – SE Camboriu and substations Videira and Caçador, in the West, joined by the transmission line SE Videira – SE Caçador.

In 1978, there was a refurbishing of the Tronco Norte system (built in the previous decade), the voltage grew from 69 kV to 138 kV. The work allowed power.

An unusual event was recorded in the operation: the job of changes in voltage requires replacement of the conductor insulation system. The city of Canoinhas was out of power Sunday because of work. Less than 24 hours after going into operation, the system turned off because the new porcelain insulators did not support the change in voltage. Outraged, residents protested against CELESC in streets.

In 1980, CELESC achieved the historical mark of half a million customers. The achievement was celebrated on the 25th anniversary of the foundation with the binding of a low-income consumers in San Jose, in Florianópolis. Nine years later, in September 1989, the Company recorded attendance to one million customers.

Early in the decade, CELESC through the ENERCAP program – Energy for Capital, implemented the 69kV system to serve the Island of Santa Catarina, however, in order to ensure compliance with future demands, transmission lines and oil insulated cable which connected the island to the mainland system, launched in gallery bridge Colombo Salles and embankment of the South Bay, have been built to serve the voltage of 138kV.

In 1986, Substation Trindade (powered in 1981), would operate at 138 kV, after a dashing reisolation work. Engineering studies and insulation coordination defined to the application of rigid busbar, with reduced equipment and special sectioning away

In that decade, parallel investments in the expansion of the electric system, CELESC also promoted the incorporation of rural electrification cooperatives. In the 1980s, companies Luz e Força of Araranguá SA, rural electrification cooperatives: Vale do Chapecó, Vale do Itajaí and Vale do Rio do Peixe, Cia. Docas de Imbituba and Força e Luz de Criciúma S.A.were incorporated. In expansion the power distribution system, especially the ENERSUL program for the implementation of 69 kV system to service the southern region of the state.

In 1984, the West of State benefited from the expansion of the capacity of the distribution system, with the refurbishing of the Transmission Line and Substation Pinhalzinho from 69 to 138 kV. The transaction required resources for special logistics and mobilization of multiple teams in order to allow a single weekend were made ​​all the necessary services.

In 1987, confirming its commitment to social and economic development of Santa Catarina, CELESC incorporated the Empresa de Assistência Técnica e Extensão Rural de Santa Catarina – ERUSC – ERUSC, and its assets, accelerating the process of incorporation of rural electrification cooperatives, responsible for the fulfillment of these areas in several municipalities.

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The history of rural electrification in CELESC it actually began in 1977, with the establishment of its first program of assistance to rural families.

Several programs have followed the first: Rural Community, Equivalence of Grains, PRONI, Bright Light, the Light Field and Light for All. Together they have enabled the construction of over a thousand kilometers of networks, benefiting thousand families in 30 years. The arrival of electricity in the countryside was greeted with great celebration, and usually gathered the whole community around a nice barbecue. Pioneer, Celesc has focused what is today known as the universal use of electric power program.

In 1987, confirming its commitment to social and economic development of Santa Catarina, CELESC has incorporated Empresa de Assistência Técnica e Extensão Rural de Santa Catarina – ERUSC by investing in internalization of electricity services and considerable progress in promoting decentralization of care.

In the 90s, several works have increased the system reliability and improved the service standard for consumers: the construction of transmission lines between substations Blumenau and Guaramirim Jaragua do Sul, at 138 kV, closing the electric ring in Joinville, the second circuit to serve the Island of Santa Catarina, the junction with the Campos Novos Substation, the Eletrosul System and the deployment of Digital System Supervision and Control.

At that moment, CELESC already be established as one of the biggest and best electric energy distribution companies of Brazil. The figures for the CELESC system gave an idea of the effort put in 50 years. More than one hundred thousand kilometers of distribution networks, 1.4 million of light posts, 120,000 transformers, 23 distribution substations and 93 transmission substations.

Paulatinamente, a empresa foi construindo um sistema elétrico robusto, com alto nível de eficiência e integrando energeticamente todas as regiões de sua área de concessão. Ao mesmo tempo, também foi se estruturando o sistema de alta tensão interligado ao Sistema Interligado Nacional, conquistado no início dos anos 2000, conferindo segurança máxima ao abastecimento energético do Estado.

Gradually, the company was building up a robust electrical system, with high levels of energy efficiency and integrating all areas of its concession area. At the same time, was also structuring the high voltage system linked to the National Interconnected System, conquered in the early 2000s, providing maximum security to the State energy supply.

Even in the late 90s, CELESC began the process of investments in other infrastructure companies, as a minority shareholder. That time the participation are in Empresa Catarinense de Transmissão de Energia – ECTE, Dona Francisca Energética S.A. – DFESA, Companhia de Água e Saneamento – CASAN, Machadinho Energética S.A. – MAESA, Energética Campos Novos S.A. – ENERCAN.

In 1993, with the process of tariff desequalization, the Federal Government caused the electricity rates to begin to reflect the true costs of each distribution company. The new pricing model aimed at encouraging increased operational efficiency of concessionaires across the country. From there, the establishment of new regulatory framework of the National Electricity Sector had its onset, in order to promote the low tariffs and security of supply.

Celesc reaches the new millennium with a history of many conquests. Throughout its 55 years of existence, it has built an image of recognized competence in their area of ​​expertise. It is one of the largest companies in the Brazilian electricity sector, with emphasis on national and international levels mainly by the quality of its services.

The mark of two million customers was reached in November 2004. When CELESC was created in 1955, this was the number of inhabitants of Santa Catarina. The state grew with the company, which started its history serving less than 35,000 customers in 16 counties.

In 2006, given the model established by current power industry legislation, Celesc was structured as a holding company with two wholly owned subsidiaries, Celesc Geração S.A. and Celesc Distribuição S.A., maintaining its stakes in Dona Francisca Energética S.A. – DFESA, Empresa Catarinense de Transmissão de Energia Elétrica – ECTE, Companhia Catarinense de Água e Saneamento – CASAN and Usina Hidrelétrica Cubatão S.A., as well as other minor shareholdings.

The Holding acquired in 2007 the controlling interest in Companhia de Gás de Santa Catarina – SCGÁS, which holds the concession for the distribution right of canalized gas in the state of Santa Catarina, signed on 28 March of 1994 with a 50 years term.

In 2009, the Holding company increased its stake in the power transmission sector acquiring more shares of ECTE, as well as intensifying actions to carry out its power generation projects through its generation subsidiary in the last two years.