ATLANTA – Georgia Power celebrated 75 years of generating growth in Georgia with a reception attended by more than 400 guests Wednesday evening at the company’s downtown corporate headquarters. The 75th anniversary celebration is centered on Georgia Power’s community and economic development department’s efforts to help Georgia’s communities grow and prosper through community involvement, education enhancements and economic development. “Community and economic development is one of the cornerstones of our business and our commitment to be citizens wherever we serve,” said President and CEO David Ratcliffe. When the company opened the industrial development office in New York in 1927 under the leadership of Georgia Power’s visionary first president, Preston Arkwright Sr., it was an effort to persuade industrialists to build manufacturing plants in Georgia. The years since have been marked by a long history of expertise and innovation. Among the company’s accomplishments:

 In the 1930s, the company launched the Better Home Town program, an effort to make Georgia communities more attractive to new and expanding businesses.

 Georgia Power engineers have designed more than 480 industrial parks since 1962.

 The company created the Georgia Resource Center in 1991, the world’s first facility to use interactive technology for business development.

 In 1994, the company became the first economic development group to create an Internet presence, using the Web site to offer virtual tours of available buildings.

 The company consistently ranks among the top 10 economic development agencies in the United States and received the 2001 Global Innovator’s Award from the International Development Research Council for innovative practices in attracting and retaining corporate jobs and investment.

In 2001, through community and economic development Georgia Power helped bring 10,221 direct new jobs in Georgia and more than $761 million in new capital investment. Additionally, those new jobs created more than 8,000 indirect jobs. In the past decade community and economic development efforts have helped bring more than 100,000 jobs and more than $5 billion of new investment to the state of Georgia. “The real strength of economic development efforts has been our ability to work with hundreds of communities across Georgia to put in place the leadership, strategy and services to distinguish themselves in the global marketplace,” said Becky Blalock, the company’s vice president of economic development. “We’ve helped create marketing plans and used our strong understanding of the needs and issues surrounding location decisions to bring new wealth and quality of life. Through community and economic development, Georgia Power works closely with GDITT, the Georgia Research Alliance, local chambers of commerce and dozens of other organizations. Almost 50 employees serve in strategic leadership roles on development authorities and chambers of commerce around the state. In addition, David Ratcliffe serves as vice chair of economic development for the Metro Atlanta chamber. “A great part of our success is the result of having Georgia Power people plugged in at local levels,” Blalock said. “As we move forward to celebrate 75 years of generating growth in Georgia, it’s these partnerships we are honoring. Together, we have helped bring unprecedented prosperity to Georgia. And, together, we will push forward to ensure the continued growth and well-being of the communities we serve.” Georgia Power is the largest subsidiary of Southern Company, one of the nation’s largest generators of electricity. The company is an investor-owned, tax-paying utility, serving customers in 57,000 of the state’s 59,000 square miles. Georgia Power’s rates are more than 15 percent below the national average and its 2 million customers are in all but six of Georgia’s 159 counties.