PP&L touts the efficiency of electric appliances at an industrial parade in June 1930. PPL Corporation is currently celebrating its 100th anniversary. (photo provided courtesy of PPL)

PPL Corporation, one of two Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Lehigh Valley, has kicked off a year-long celebration marking its 100th anniversary this year.

“PPL’s 100-year history is rich with growth and success, but it is nothing without the thousands of dedicated employees – past and present – who have powered progress in our cities, towns and communities,” said William H. Spence, PPL chairman and CEO.

“We’re proud of their legacy, we’re thankful for the opportunity we have each day to make a difference in our customers’ lives, and we are driven by the opportunity we have to help shape our shared energy future,” Spence said.

Based in Allentown, PPL was created in 1920 through the consolidation of eight electric companies with 62 power plants serving central and eastern Pennsylvania.

Today, PPL and its family of companies, including PPL Electric Utilities, Louisville Gas & Electric Company, Kentucky Utilities Company, and Western Power Distribution, are dedicated to building a smarter, more reliable and more resilient energy grid

“A century ago, it was about extending light to communities large and small,” Spence said in a message about the company’s centennial. “Today, it’s about powering so much of what we do – requiring reliable energy 24/7 and reshaping networks, making them smarter and more resilient as we help to advance a cleaner energy future.”

A new website dedicated to chronicling PPL’s 100 years in business has been launched, and can be found here.

The company will be commemorating its 100th anniversary and its rich history and commitment to its communities by sponsoring and participating in events and sharing stories, photographs and historical facts throughout the year 2020.

These activities, according to PPL, include completing 100 acts of service across central and eastern Pennsylvania, and awarding $100,000 in special centennial grants through a Bright Lights program focused on recognizing nonprofit employees working to make a positive impact in their communities.

Additionally, PPL will be utilizing the web and social media to share unique historical facts, images and stories about PPL, its employees, its retirees and the communities it serves. The company will also celebrate at events that bring the communities it serves together, such as the Little League World Series in Williamsport.

PPL’s history over the past century includes the surge of electric appliances and the growth of industry in the 1940s and 1950s, as well as the energy conservation programs of the 1970s and the deregulation of power markets in the 1990s, according to the company.

“While times have changed, one constant has been the men and women of PPL – a team that for 100 years has maintained a shared commitment to delivering without fail for customers, powering progress and giving back to the communities we serve,” Spence said.