Energisa Group has closed the Rondônia Power Plants (Ceron) and the Acre Electricity Company (Elektroacre) in an auction of the National Economic and Social Development Bank (BNDES) on Thursday (30). Energisa has taken over the distributors previously operated by Eletrobras by offering a flexibility index of 21% for Ceron and 31% for Eletroacre, which could mean a 2% and 3% tariff discount for the consumers of these distributors.

The two distributors, now in a shortage situation, join the nine other energy concession holders of the Energisa group in the country, who now serve 862 cities – before the new takeover, 788 municipalities spread over an area of ​​2,032,000 km². With the acquisition, the number of customers served by Energisa in all regions of Brazil jumps from 6.7 million to 7.6 million – representing a population of more than 20 million people.

The acquisition is in line with Energisa's growth strategy and strengthens the synergetic policy of the Group's concessions, looking for assets in countries that are close to its activities. According to the chairman of the Energisa Group, Ricardo Botelho, the acquired distributor will undergo a series of investments and management changes to restore financial and operational health, as has happened with concession holders that the Group has taken over in recent years.

"Our history shows that it is possible to achieve an economic-financial balance and quality in services, debts and costs to restructure and to invest wisely and efficiently to recuperate companies." We focus on excellence in services and customer relations. Our distributors are among the best in the country in Aneel rankings and we are going to build this success story in these concessions, "he says.

Botelho says that the priorities are the resumption of the durability of the concessions, the normality of services and the low rate. "As we have done in other companies that the Group has acquired over the past decades – including those from the Rede Group and purchased by Energisa in 2014 – we will implement EletroAcre and Ceron a broad project of technology and management transformation, starting with availability of funds for the first investments and financial sanitation We will start a phase of very positive prospects for the employees of these companies and for the development of the states Acre and Rondônia.

The Energisa Group has strong experience in the purchase and recovery of loss-making distributors, who have become the best in the country after the new management, both financially and operationally.

In the last Abradee Award, for example in July of this year, Energisa Group was the most awarded in the sector, with nine prizes, including the best distributor in the country with less than 500 thousand customers (Energisa Minas Gerais, Nova Friburgo and Borborema) and the best distributor in the northeast (Energisa Paraíba). The Mato Grosso distributor, acquired in 2014, won the award for the best distributor in North and Midwest. The award, awarded annually by the Brazilian Association of Electric Energy Distributors, recognizes the best companies in the sector.

About Energisa Group – With 113 years of history, the Energisa Group is one of the largest in the distribution of electricity in Brazil. As one of the first companies to open up capital in Brazil, the company manages nine distributors in Minas Gerais, Paraiba, Rio de Janeiro, Sergipe, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Tocantins, São Paulo and Paraná. Today there are approximately 6.7 million customers in 788 municipalities in all regions of Brazil – a population that is served by around 16 million people. With a net annual turnover of R $ 13.6 billion, the group generates approximately 16 thousand jobs before this acquisition.

With the mission to turn energy into comfort, development and opportunities in a sustainable, responsible and ethical manner, Energisa operates with a diversified portfolio that includes distribution, generation, services for the electricity sector (Energisa Soluções), specialized IT and call center services. (Multi Energisa), energy trade (Energisa Comercializadora) and, more recently, transmission.