Pocono News Section

New jobs for Luzerne County

New jobs for Luzerne County - Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 5:52PM EST

Tuesday, Nov 17, 2009 @ 05:52pm EST

Up to seventy new jobs are coming to Luzerne County .

Gateway Energy Services is bringing a customer service call center to Forty Fort.

The company is one of the nation's largest retail suppliers of natural gas and electricity.

Gateway Energy Services CEO Steve Maslak said, " Pennsylvania , I think, is in need for the presence of companies such as ours. Because of the artificial rate caps that are coming off of on electric utility side."

The company does this in areas in which energy prices aren't regulated so customers can chose their own energy provider.

This could possibly means savings on an energy bill.

Here in our area, PPL rates become deregulated January 1st, giving customers a choice.

The seventy jobs will be created here at Gateway's new site, at the Cross Valley West professional building.

The greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry calls this a big win for the area.

"We're here today because a strong company that does business in seven states has decided to make Northeastern Pennsylvania it's home," said Todd Vonderheid of the chamber.

Gateway Energy services will hold a recruiting open house at the new call center on Wednesday from 10am until 6pm .