EDF was set up in 1946 out of the desire to have a national electrical utility that could help rebuild the country after the Second World War. Since its creation, the company has had the responsibility for generating, transmitting and distributing electricity in France. Today, with a workforce of about 115,000 employees, EDF has 31 million customers in France with an installed generating capacity of over 100,000 MW. Moreover, EDF has developed an international strategy based on investment and the sale of services. The company relies on partnerships with electrical utilities, manufacturers and investors, and is now present in a wide range of foreign companies. Outside France, Electricit\'e de France is involved in the construction or operation of generating facilities with an installed capacity of 23,000 MW and supplies power to 17 million customers. In 1999, EDF had a turnover of 32 billion Euros and an electricity output of 469 billion kWh.

Exploitation of R&D results by EDF is based on its R&D Division and its partnerships. With a staff of 2700 employees, the aim of the R\&D Division is to keep electricity costs competitive, prepare the generating facilities of the future, enhance the quality of supply while preserving the environment, as well as to develop innovative solutions with the customer in mind. The variety of these objectives has led EDF to set up a strong R&D function, including multidisciplinary knowledge, and with a balance between basic research and industrial applications. The task of the Division is to pass on the results of its work to all the branches of the EDF Group. Equally open to external expertise and resources, the R\&D Division relies on other research organizations, both in France and abroad, and on industrial co-operation. The programmes undertaken within an international framework account for a significant part of EDF's research activities.

In the framework of this project, EDF has the double proficiency. As a utility, EDF has a complete knowledge of power generation specificities : design, engineering, operation, maintenance. As an independent consultant, EDF R&D has high capabilities in the field of advanced control from academic to practical aspects.

EDF has done considerable research on applying different advanced control algorithms to power plants and other kind of process. These studies led recently to the implementation of new advanced control systems including multivariable controllers on several of EDF fossil power plants.