Fireworks lit the evening skies over Goiânia, the capital of Goiás, Brazil, on 8 March to celebrate the rebranding of CELG (Companhia Energetica de Goiás), the state-owned energy distribution company which Enel acquired over a year ago. On 9 March it became Enel Distribuição Goiás, bearing our Group’s new logo.
The logo isn’t just a cosmetic exercise, it is part of a long-term project for improving safety standards, as well as the efficiency and quality of the company’s services. This began immediately after the acquisition and is complemented by an ambitious programme for the near future, involving the expansion, modernisation and digitalisation of CELG’s old electrical network. This serves 2.9 million clients in a region with a largely rural economy, covering an area greater than the whole of Italy. A significant portion of its population still has no access to electricity.
The rebranding is only an intermediate stage in a process which has the objective of integrating the old CELG fully into our Group, transforming it into a cutting-edge company that can respond to the technological challenges Enel is proposing in Goiás while becoming more efficient, flexible and sustainable.
In the words of Livio Gallo, Head of Global Infrastructure and Networks for our Group, when talking to guests at the gala evening – including the State’s upper-echelon administrators and politicians – the process has already begun. “Since we acquired CELG we’ve brought about a drastic reduction in the number and duration of interruptions in supply, which were one of the main problems facing the old management. As we regard safety as a very important factor we’re aiming for zero accidents; in this first year we’ve already seen a 60% improvement in this respect.”
“But we’re not only here for financial reasons,” said Carlo Zorzoli, Enel’s country manager in Brazil. “We come here above all with a great deal of passion and enthusiasm, because energy is also life and development, and we bring with us all the strength and technical know-how Enel has to offer. In the almost 40 countries where we’re present we operate the world’s most extensive private distribution network. Brazil has enormous strategic importance for us. If you’re strong here, then you’re strong across the whole of South America.”
What will Enel do in Goiás? “We want to listen to people’s needs and try to provide a response, bringing innovation and technology. Our energy solutions division will offer new products to local towns, cities and companies, improve client services and embrace the region with an approach based on genuine partnership.”
And this embrace that has now become much tighter!