For Seventh Consecutive Year, Entergy Named as National Leader in Economic Development

Company's efforts help attract nearly $21 billion in projects to Gulf South, potentially creating more than 9,200 jobs

News provided by

Sep 11, 2014, 02:51 ET

NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Entergy Corporation (NYSE: ETR) has been named one of the nation's Top 10 utilities in economic development for 2013 by Site Selection magazine. The company was chosen for its efforts to help attract nearly $21 billion in projects, which could result in as many as 9,200 jobs across its four-state service territory of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

The ranking may be viewed in the September 2014 edition and online at www.siteselection.com.

"We've dramatically stepped up our economic development efforts through the formation of a corporate business and economic development department that reinforces and supports the efforts our local economic development employees are making in attracting new business, retaining existing companies and helping them grow," said Mark Kleehammer, vice president of Entergy's Business Development Services.

"We're in a unique position here along the Gulf Coast," Kleehammer added, "and we continue to play an integral role in the ongoing industrial renaissance taking place in our own backyard. Not only will attracting business and industry help grow our business, it also will provide increased employment and economic opportunities for the citizens we serve."

Site Selection chose the top utilities based in part on jobs created and investments made in their respective service areas. Arkansas and Mississippi saw successes, Texas led the way with the creation of 3,183 jobs and Louisiana led in corporate capital investment activity with more than $17 billion planned.

The magazine recognized Entergy for its major system-level initiatives, which include its Strategic Sites Initiative, its Certified Sites Program, and a planned rebuild and redesign of the Entergy Site Selection Center – the company's GIS buildings and sites database. To help customer speed-to-market, a team of engineering project managers also was created.

More information on Entergy's economic development efforts can be found at entergy.com.

Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including more than 10,000 megawatts of nuclear power, making it one of the nation's leading nuclear generators. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.8 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of more than $11 billion and approximately 14,000 employees.

entergy.com
Twitter: @entergy
Facebook: facebook.com/entergy

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120913/MM74349LOGO

SOURCE Entergy Corporation