It generates power from 16 plants, all of them hydroelectric, with installed capacity of around 126MW.

Celesc is headquartered in the Santa Catarina capital of Florianópolis.

Founded in 1955 by a decree signed by then-Governor Irineu Bornhausen [pt], it is controlled by the state of Santa Catarina, who owns just over 20% of Celesc's stocks, that are traded on B3 (formerly BM&F Bovespa).

Gradually, Celesc absorbed all of the state's regional electricity companies.

In October 2006, the company passed by a reorganization process, in which it was transformed into a "holding" that kept the name Centrais Elétricas de Santa Catarina.