Cemig, the electric energy utility of Minas Gerais, turns 50 years old as one of the largest and most important electric energy distributors in Brazil in part to its technical prowess, its large customer base and also to its strategic location.

In encompassing approximately 96% of the territory of the southeastern state of Minas Gerais, Cemig's concession area covers 560,000 square kilometers (219,000 square miles), an area equivalent to that of France. Operating 41 generation plants, based predominantly on hydroelectric power, Cemig supplies more than 17 million people with electric energy in 774 municipalities within Minas Gerais. In the year 2001 alone, Cemig provided its market with 34,541 GWh, an decrease of 9,4% as opposed to the previous year.

In order to provide electric energy to its millions of customers, Cemig manages a distribution network in excess of 320,000 kilometers(188,000 miles), making it one of the four largest in the world and the largest in Latin America.