The United States and France have had a long history of alliance. In that spirit, Electricite de France — the government-run electric company of France — and PP&L, Inc., have formed a partnership for economic development and community affairs.

Eleven EDF executives will be coming to Central Eastern Pennsylvania Oct. 4-7. They will meet with PP&L, Inc., economic and community development professionals, tour the Humboldt Industrial Park and CAN DO Corporate Center in Hazleton, and meet with economic development leaders from across the region.

EDF chose PP&L, Inc., over other American utilities as its partner for economic and community development, said James J. Nulton, international director of economic development for PP&L, Inc.

With electricity deregulation on the horizon in France, EDF sought a strategic alliance with a company that has experienced change, and has innovative, effective approaches to economic and community development.

"We're honored that EDF, one of the world's largest electric companies, was sufficiently impressed with our program to develop a partnership with PP&L, Inc.," Nulton said.

"Both companies have a great deal of information and experience to share. This partnership is an opportunity for both companies to increase the effectiveness of their economic and community development program," he explained.

EDF will provide significant support to PP&L, Inc.'s growing economic development efforts in Europe, and will help accelerate efforts to reach French companies that may be looking to expand in the United States.

Nulton said partnership is the key to PP&L, Inc.'s success in economic development. The company works with state, regional and local organizations to create jobs and address community needs.

PP&L, Inc., economic development initiatives include comprehensive plant location services, marketing, a no-interest loan program for industrial site development and scholarship aid for training and certification of local economic development professionals. Its newest initiative is an Internet locator service for available industrial and corporate office properties in Central Eastern Pennsylvania.

Over the past three years, PP&L, Inc., has helped attract more than 60 new businesses to the region, including some from overseas. Those businesses have created nearly 7,000 new jobs.

EDF, based in Paris, has 180,000 employees and nearly 30 million customers.

PP&L, Inc. — a subsidiary of PP&L Resources, Inc. — generates electricity, provides electricity delivery service to 1.2 million customers in eastern and central Pennsylvania, sells retail electricity throughout the state of Pennsylvania and markets or trades wholesale energy in 26 states and Canada through its state-of-the-art Energy Marketing Center.