AES CORPORATION
DEF 14A, 1998-03-27
COGENERATION SERVICES & SMALL POWER PRODUCERS
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                                 SCHEDULE 14A
                               (RULE 14A -- 101)

                    INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
                           SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

          PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(A) OF THE SECURITIES
                 EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 (AMENDMENT NO.         )

     Filed by Registrant [X]

     Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [ ]

     Check the appropriate box:

     [ ] Preliminary Proxy Statement

     [ ] Confidential, for Use of the Commission

      Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))

     [X] Definitive Proxy Statement

     [ ] Definitive Additional Materials

     [ ] Soliciting Material Pursuant to Section 240.14a-11(c) or Section
         240.14a-12

                                ----------------
                               THE AES CORPORATION
                                ----------------

                (Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

                               ----------------
    (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

[X] No fee required

[ ] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14-a6(i)(1) and 0-11.

     1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
        Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------

     2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:

        ------------------------------------------------------------------------

     3)Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant
       to  Exchange  Act Rule 0-11 (Set forth the amount on which the filing fee
       is calculated and state how it was determined):

       Not Applicable
       -------------------------------------------------------------------------

    4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:

       Not Applicable
      --------------------------------------------------------------------------

    5) Total Fee paid:

       None
     --------------------------------------------------------------------------

    [ ] Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

    [ ] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided  by Exchange  Act
        Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was
        paid previously.  Identify the previous filing by registration statement
        number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.

   (1) Amount Previously Paid:

       -------------------------------------------------------------------------

   (2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:

       -------------------------------------------------------------------------

   (3) Filing Party:

       -------------------------------------------------------------------------

   (4) Date Filed:

       -------------------------------------------------------------------------

<PAGE>

================================================================================

                                   [AES LOGO]

                               The AES Corporation
                             1001 North 19th Street
                            Arlington, Virginia 22209

                    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
                      TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 1998



March 30, 1998

The Annual Meeting of Stockholders  of The AES Corporation  (the "Company") will
be held on Tuesday,  April 21,  1998,  at 9:30 a.m. in the  Company's  corporate
offices at 1001 North 19th  Street,  Arlington,  Virginia.  Doors to the meeting
will open at 8:30 a.m.

The meeting will be conducted:

     o To elect a board of nine directors;

     o To consider and vote on a proposal to ratify the appointment of Deloitte
       & Touche LLP as  independent  auditors  of the Company for the year 1998
       (approved by the Board of Directors and set forth in the following Proxy
       Statement);

     o To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting.

Stockholders  of  record  at the  close of  business  on March 3,  1998  will be
entitled to notice of and to vote at this meeting.

                                        /s/ William R. Luraschi
                                        William R. Luraschi
                                        Vice President and Secretary



     EACH  STOCKHOLDER IS REQUESTED TO EXECUTE AND PROMPTLY  RETURN THE ENCLOSED
PROXY. A PREPAID  ENVELOPE IS ENCLOSED FOR RETURNING  PROXIES (SEE DIRECTIONS ON
PROXY CARD).

================================================================================

<PAGE>

PROXY STATEMENT

March 30, 1998

The  accompanying  proxy  is  solicited  by the  Board of  Directors  of The AES
Corporation  (the  "Company"  or  "AES")  for  use  at  the  Annual  Meeting  of
Stockholders  of the Company to be held on Tuesday,  April 21, 1998 at 9:30 a.m.
at the  Company's  corporate  offices  at 1001  North  19th  Street,  Arlington,
Virginia 22209, or at any adjournment of such meeting.  This Proxy Statement and
accompanying  proxy are first  being sent or given to  stockholders  on or about
March 30, 1998.  If the proxy is properly  executed  and  returned by mail,  the
shares  it  represents  will be  voted at the  meeting  in  accordance  with the
instructions noted thereon. If no instructions are specified, the shares will be
voted for the  election of the  directors  and in  accordance  with the Board of
Directors'  recommendations  as set forth herein.  Any  stockholder  executing a
proxy has the power to revoke it at any time  before it is voted by filing  with
the Company a written notice of revocation,  by delivering a duly executed proxy
bearing a later date, or by attending  the Annual  Meeting of  Stockholders  and
voting in person.  Proxies marked as  abstentions,  or to withhold a vote from a
nominee as a director in the case of the  election of  directors,  will have the
effect of a negative vote.  Broker non-votes (where a nominee holding shares for
a beneficial  owner has not received  voting  instructions  from the  beneficial
owner with respect to a  particular  matter and such nominee does not possess or
choose to exercise his  discretionary  authority  with respect  thereto) will be
considered  as present at the meeting but not  entitled to vote with  respect to
the particular matter and will therefore have no effect.

The only  securities  of the  Company  entitled to be voted are shares of Common
Stock,  and only  holders of record of Common  Stock at the close of business on
March 3, 1998 are entitled to notice of and to vote at the  meeting.  Holders of
Common Stock are entitled to one vote per share.  There were 175,155,897  shares
of Common  Stock  outstanding  at the close of  business  on March 3, 1998.  The
Company's  Annual  Report for the fiscal year ended  December  31, 1997 is being
delivered concurrently with this Proxy Statement.


PROPOSAL 1

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

The  Board of  Directors  is  composed  of nine  members,  seven of whom are not
officers of or otherwise employed by the Company.  The Board of Directors met 11
times,  including 7 telephonic meetings, in 1997. Directors are to be elected to
hold  office  until the next  Annual  Meeting of  Stockholders  and until  their
respective successors shall have been elected and qualified.  Directors shall be
elected by a  majority  of the votes of the  shares of Common  Stock  present in
person or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders, at which a
quorum is present.

Roger W. Sant  co-founded AES with Dennis Bakke in 1981. He has been Chairman of
the Board and a director  of AES since its  inception  and he held the office of
Chief Executive  Officer through  December 31, 1993. He currently is Chairman of
The Boards of Directors of The Summit  Foundation  and World  Wildlife Fund U.S.
and serves on the Board of Directors of World  Resources  Institute,  World Wide
Fund for Nature, and Marriott International, Inc. He was Assistant Administrator
for Energy Conservation and the Environment of the Federal Energy Agency ("FEA")
from 1974 to 1976 and the Director of the Energy Productivity  Center, an energy
research  organization  affiliated with The Mellon Institute at  Carnegie-Mellon
University, from 1977 to 1981.

Dennis W. Bakke  co-founded  AES with Roger Sant in 1981 and has been a director
of AES since 1986. He has been  President of AES since 1987 and Chief  Executive
Officer since January 1, 1994.  From 1987 to 1993, he served as Chief  Operating
Officer of AES; from 1982 to 1986, he served as Executive Vice President of AES;
and from 1985 to 1986,  he also served as  Treasurer  of AES. He served with Mr.
Sant as  Deputy  Assistant  Administrator  of the FEA  from  1974 to 1976 and as
Deputy  Director of the Energy  Productivity  Center from 1978 to 1981.  He is a
trustee  of the  Rivendell  School  and a member  of the Board of  Directors  of
MacroSonixs Corporation.



<PAGE>



Alice F. Emerson has been a director of AES since 1993. She is the Senior Fellow
at The Andrew W. Mellon  Foundation,  and was  President  of Wheaton  College in
Massachusetts from 1975 to 1991, and prior to that served as Dean of Students at
the  University of  Pennsylvania.  She is a member of the Boards of Directors of
the  World   Resources   Institute,   the   BankBoston   Corporation,   Champion
International  Corporation,  Eastman Kodak Company,  Public/Private Ventures and
Salzburg Seminar.

Robert F. Hemphill, Jr. has been a director of AES since June 1996. He served as
Executive  Vice  President  of AES from 1982 to June 1996.  He  currently is the
Managing Director of Toucan Ventures (an international venture capital firm). He
also  serves  on  the  Board  of  Pridtronics,  Inc.,  an  electrical  equipment
manufacturing firm.

Frank  Jungers was an advisor to the Board of AES from 1982 to 1983 and has been
a  director  of AES since  1983 and since  then has been  consultant  to various
companies since prior to 1993. Mr. Jungers is the retired  Chairman of the Board
and Chief Executive  Officer of the Arabian  American Oil Company.  He currently
serves  on the  Boards  of  Directors  of  Georgia-Pacific  Corporation,  Thermo
Electron Corporation,  Thermo Ecotek Corporation,  ThermoQuest Corporation, Esco
Corporation,  and Donaldson,  Lufkin & Jenrette, Inc. He is also Chairman of the
Advisory Board of Common Sense  Partners,  L.P. He is Chairman of the College of
Engineering  Development  Committee  and member of the Visiting  Committee,  The
University of Washington.  He is also Advisory Trustee of the Board of Trustees,
The  American  University  in Cairo and serves as a Trustee  to the High  Desert
Museum.

John H.  McArthur  has been a  director  of AES since  January  1997.  He is the
retired Dean of the Harvard  Business  School,  and has been a private  business
consultant and investor in various  companies  since prior to 1993. He serves as
Senior  Advisor to the President of the World Bank Group.  He is a member of the
Boards of Directors of BCE Inc., Cabot  Corporation,  Glaxo Wellcome plc, Rohm &
Haas Corporation,  Springs Industries,  Inc., and the Vincam Group, Inc. He also
serves in various capacities with non-profit health and education  organizations
in America, Canada, Europe, and Asia.

Hazel R.  O'Leary  has been a director of AES since  April  1997.  Mrs.  O'Leary
previously  served on AES's Board of Directors from September 1988 to June 1989.
Mrs. O'Leary was the seventh Secretary of the United States Department of Energy
from 1993 to 1997.  She  currently is a private  businesswoman,  consultant  and
attorney to a diverse group of domestic and international energy and sustainable
development  firms.  Prior to serving as U.S. Secretary of Energy, she served as
president of the natural gas subsidiary of Northern  States Power  Company,  and
before that as Executive  Vice President of Northern  States Power Company.  She
also serves on the Board of ICF Kaiser International.

Thomas I. Unterberg has been a director of AES since 1984 and from 1982 to 1983.
He has been a Managing Director of C.E. Unterberg, Towbin (an investment banking
firm) since 1989,  having been a Managing  Director of Shearson  Lehman Brothers
Inc., from 1987 through 1988. He currently  serves on the Boards of Directors of
Electronics  for Imaging,  Inc.,  Systems and Computer  Technology  Corporation,
Fractal Design Corporation, ECCS, Inc., and Scan Vec Co (1990) Ltd.

During 1997,  Unterberg  Harris,  an affiliate of C.E.  Unterberg,  Towbin,  the
investment banking firm in which Mr. Unterberg is a Managing Director,  acted as
a co-managing underwriter for three financial offerings of the Company including
(i) the March  offering of five  million  $2.6875 Term  Convertible  Securities,
Series A, (ii) the March  offering of 2.55 million  shares of Common Stock,  par
value  $0.01 per share and (c) the October  offering  of six million  $2.75 Term
Convertible Securities, Series B.

Robert H. Waterman, Jr. was an advisor to the Board of AES from 1983 to 1985 and
has been a director of AES since 1985.  He is the founder and has been the Chief
Executive Officer of The

                                       2

<PAGE>



Waterman  Group,  Inc. (a business  consulting  firm) since 1985.  His  business
includes  research  and  writing,  consulting  and venture  management.  He is a
co-author  of In Search of  Excellence,  and the author of The  Renewal  Factor,
Adhocracy -- The Power to Change and What America Does Right, each of which is a
book on business  management.  He currently  serves on the Board of Directors of
McKesson Corporation, is Chairman of the Board of MindSteps, Inc., and serves on
the Boards of several  non-profit  organizations  including  the World  Wildlife
Fund.

                                       3

<PAGE>

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS,
DIRECTORS, AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

The following table sets forth, as of February 1, 1998, the beneficial ownership
of the Company's Common Stock by (a) each director and named executive  officer,
(b) all directors and executive  officers as a group and (c) all persons who own
more than five percent (5%) of the  Company's  Common  Stock.  Unless  otherwise
indicated,  each of the  persons  and group  listed  below has sole  voting  and
dispositive power with respect to the shares shown.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                        POSITION HELD                  
NAME                                                            AGE                    WITH THE COMPANY                
- -------------------------------------------------------------- -----  -------------------------------------------------
<S>                                                            <C>    <C>                                              
SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS                                                          
 Roger W. Sant ...............................................  66    Chairman of the Board and Director               
 Dennis W. Bakke # ...........................................  52    President, Chief Executive Officer and Director  
 Vicki Ann Assevero %+ .......................................  45    Director                                         
 Alice F. Emerson +@ .........................................  66    Director                                         
 Robert F. Hemphill, Jr. %+ ..................................  54    Director                                         
 Frank Jungers +@ ............................................  71    Director                                         
 Henry R. Linden %+ ..........................................  76    Director                                         
 John H. McArthur %+ .........................................  64    Director                                         
 Hazel R. O'Leary + ..........................................  61    Director                                         
 Thomas I. Unterberg %+ ......................................  67    Director                                         
 Robert H. Waterman, Jr. +@# .................................  61    Director                                         
 Thomas A. Tribone ...........................................  45    Senior Vice President                            
 Mark F. Fitzpatrick .........................................  47    Senior Vice President                            
 Barry J. Sharp ..............................................  38    Senior Vice President and Chief                  
                                                                      Financial Officer                                
 All directors and executive officers as a group (25 persons).        
SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY OTHERS

 NationsBank Corporation .....................................  Address: South Tryon Street
                                                                         NationsBank Plaza
                                                                         Charlotte, NC 28255


<CAPTION>


                                                                 SHARES OF COMMON
                                                                STOCK BENEFICIALLY       % OF
NAME                                                                OWNED(1)(2)      CLASS(1) (2)
- -------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------- -------------
<S>                                                            <C>                  <C>
SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

 Roger W. Sant ...............................................      21,858,284(3)        12.36
 Dennis W. Bakke # ...........................................      18,105,930(4)        10.30
 Vicki Ann Assevero %+ .......................................          19,280              *
 Alice F. Emerson +@ .........................................          37,154              *
 Robert F. Hemphill, Jr. %+ ..................................       1,661,546(5)           *
 Frank Jungers +@ ............................................       1,115,654(6)           *
 Henry R. Linden %+ ..........................................          59,198              *
 John H. McArthur %+ .........................................           7,078              *
 Hazel R. O'Leary + ..........................................             662              *
 Thomas I. Unterberg %+ ......................................       1,264,193(7)           *
 Robert H. Waterman, Jr. +@# .................................         667,195(8)           *
 Thomas A. Tribone ...........................................         475,121              *
 Mark F. Fitzpatrick .........................................         369,975(9)           *
 Barry J. Sharp ..............................................         343,878(10)          *
 All directors and executive officers as a group (25 persons).      52,959,980(11)       30.07
SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY OTHERS

 NationsBank Corporation .....................................      11,055,984(12)        6.32
</TABLE>

- ----------

%    Member of the Financial Audit Committee.

+    Member of the Environmental, Safety and Social Responsibility Committee.

@    Member of the Compensation Committee.

#    Member of the Nominating Committee.

*    Shares  held  represent  less  than 1% of the total  number of  outstanding
     shares of Common Stock of the Company.

(1)  Shares beneficially owned and deemed to be outstanding include Common Stock
     of the Company  issued or issuable,  on or before  April 1, 1998,  (a) upon
     exercise of outstanding options,  (b) upon exercise of warrants,  (c) under
     the  Deferred  Compensation  Plan for  Executive  Officers,  (d)  under the
     Deferred  Compensation  Plan for Directors,  (e) under The AES  Corporation
     Profit Sharing and Stock  Ownership  Plan and the Employee Stock  Ownership
     Plan, and (f) under the Supplemental Retirement Plan.

(2)  Includes (a) the following  shares  issuable upon exercise of options:  Mr.
     Sant -- 1,080,386  shares;  Mr.  Bakke -- 677,049  shares;  Mr.  Tribone --
     298,655 shares;  Mr.  Fitzpatrick -- 122,605  shares;  Mr. Sharp -- 230,675
     shares;  Ms. Assevero -- 19,280 shares;  Dr. Emerson -- 29,350 shares;  Mr.
     Hemphill -- 6,180 shares; Mr. Jungers -- 23,484 shares; Dr. Linden -- 2,472
     shares;  Mr. McArthur -- 6,180 shares;  Mr. Unterberg -- 23,484 shares; Mr.
     Waterman -- 23,484 shares;  all directors and executive officers as a group
     -- 3,960,666  shares;  (b) the following  units issuable under the Deferred
     Compensation Plan for Executive  Officers:  Mr. Sant -- 29,160 shares;  all
     executive  officers as a group -- 29,160  shares;  (c) the following  units
     issuable under the Deferred Compensation Plan for Directors: Dr. Emerson --
     7,186;  Mr. Jungers -- 80,720;  Dr. Linden -- 56,726;  Mr. McArthur -- 898;
     Ms. O'Leary -- 662; Mr. Unterberg -- 116,645 ; Mr. Waterman -- 116,082; all
     directors  as a group  378,919;  (d) the  following  shares held in The AES
     Corporation  Profit Sharing and Stock Ownership Plan and the Employee Stock
     Ownership  Plan: Mr. Sant -- 292,425  shares;  Mr. Bakke -- 279,814 shares;
     Mr.  Hemphill  --  198,712  shares;   Mr.  Tribone  --56,304  shares;   Mr.
     Fitzpatrick  -- 86,785 shares;  Mr. Sharp -- 45,254  shares;  all executive
     officers  as a  group  --1,435,508  shares;  and (e)  the  following  units
     issuable under the  Supplemental  Retirement  Plan: Mr. Sant -- 3,939;  Mr.
     Bakke  --  5,347;  Mr.  Hemphill  --  1,298;  Mr.  Tribone  --  1,116;  Mr.
     Fitzpatrick -- 783; Mr. Sharp -- 876; all executive  officers and directors
     as a group -- 18,606.

(3)  Includes  14,775,652  shares held  jointly by Mr.  Sant and his wife.  Also
     includes  806,482  shares held by his wife,  199,870 held in an IRA for the
     benefit of Mr. Sant,  578,928  shares in a trust for Mr. Sant,  and 129,742
     shares held in an IRA for the benefit of his wife.  In  addition,  includes
     2,293,269 shares held by The Summit Foundation, of which Mr. Sant disclaims
     beneficial ownership.  Also includes term convertible securities,  Series A
     and Series B,  convertible  into an aggregate  of 737,993  shares of common
     stock held in trust for Mr. and Mrs. Sant. Mr. and Mrs. Sant can be reached
     c/o The AES Corporation, 1001 N. 19th Street, Arlington, Virginia 22209.

(4)  Includes  9,521,661  shares held jointly by Mr. Bakke and his wife,  64,370
     shares  held by his  children,  and 878,087  shares  held by his wife,  and
     282,066  shares held by the Mustard  Seed  Foundation,  of which Mr.  Bakke
     disclaims beneficial  ownership.  Mr. and Mrs. Bakke can be reached c/o The
     AES Corporation, 1001 N. 19th Street, Arlington, Virginia 22209.

(5)  Includes 10,652 shares held in an IRA for the benefit of Mr. Hemphill.

(6)  Includes  52,781 shares held by Mr.  Jungers's wife and 565,485 shares held
     by FJF, Inc.

(7)  Includes 9,652 shares held by Mr.  Unterberg's wife, of which Mr. Unterberg
     disclaims beneficial ownership.

(8)  Includes 4,740 and 92 shares,  held in IRAs for Mr.  Waterman and his wife,
     respectively, and 522,790 shares held in a family trust.

(9)  Includes  153,314 shares held jointly by Mr.  Fitzpatrick and his wife, and
     3,976 and 2,512 shares held in IRAs for the benefit of Mr.  Fitzpatrick and
     his wife, respectively.

(10) Includes 67,073 shares held jointly by Mr. Sharp and his wife.

(11) Includes  2,929,242  shares held jointly by one  executive  officer and his
     wife, and 238,402 shares held in trust for his children, and 577,200 shares
     held in a family trust.  Includes  1,138,755 shares held jointly by another
     executive  officer  and his wife,  and 61,116  shares held in trust for his
     children.  Includes 55 shares  held by another  executive  officer's  wife.
     Includes 4,962 shares held by another  executive  officer for his children.
     Includes 10,400 shares held jointly by another officer and his wife.

(12) Of  this  aggregate  number,   NationsBank   Corporation,   including  it's
     affiliates, NB Holdings Corporation,  NationsBank,  N.A., NationsBank Texas
     Bancorporation,  Inc.,  NationsBank of Texas, N.A., Trade Street Investment
     Associates, Inc., and Boatmen's Trust Company, reported on SEC Form SC-13GA
     filed with the Securities  Exchange Commission dated March 6, 1998, that it
     had (a) sole voting power on 11,025,984  shares, (b) shared voting power on
     30,000  shares,  (c) sole  dispositive  power on  9,742,016  shares and (d)
     shared dispositive power on 1,272,484 shares.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                        4

<PAGE>

COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS



Directors  who are also  officers  of AES are not  paid  any fees or  additional
compensation for service as members of AES's Board of Directors or any committee
thereof.  Each  director who is not  employed by AES received  $26,000 as annual
compensation for service on the Board of Directors for 1997, and $1,000 for each
board  meeting  attended in person and $500 for each  meeting in which he or she
participated  by telephone  conference,  held in 1997.  For 1998, the Director's
annual  compensation  has been increased to $30,000.  The directors may elect to
receive their fees in cash, or defer the  compensation  pursuant to the Deferred
Compensation  Plan for  Directors.  All directors are  reimbursed for travel and
other  related  expenses  incurred in attending  Board and  committee  meetings.
Directors who are not employed by AES are not eligible to  participate  in AES's
employee benefit plans but participate in The AES Corporation  Stock Option Plan
for Outside  Directors  which was adopted in 1992.  Under the terms of the plan,
the Company issues options to purchase shares of the Company's Common Stock at a
price equal to 100% of the fair market  value on the date the option is granted.
Directors  eligible  to  participate  in the plan  receive  options  annually to
purchase common stock valued at 50% of the annual fees payable to directors,  as
determined by the Black-Scholes formula on a basis consistent with the Company's
stock option program. These options become eligible for exercise in installments
of 50% at the end of each of the first two years.



COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD

The Board has four standing  committees:  the  Financial  Audit  Committee,  the
Environmental,  Safety  and  Social  Responsibility  Committee,  the  Nominating
Committee, and the Compensation Committee.

The Financial  Audit  Committee  recommends  which firm will be appointed by the
Board of Directors as independent auditor to examine AES's financial  statements
and to perform  services  related to the audit.  The Financial  Audit  Committee
reviews  the  scope and  results  of the audit  with the  independent  auditors,
reviews with the Company and the independent auditors AES's interim and year-end
operating results, considers the adequacy of the internal accounting and control
procedures  of AES,  reviews  any  non-audit  services  to be  performed  by the
independent  auditors  and  considers  the  effect  of such  performance  on the
auditors' independence. The Financial Audit Committee met twice in 1997.

The Environmental, Safety and Social Responsibility Committee was created by the
Board in January  1997.  It monitors the  environmental  and safety  compliance,
respectively,  of the Company and its  subsidiaries and reviews and approves the
scope of the  Company's  internal  environmental  and  safety  compliance  audit
programs to consider  the  adequacy and  appropriateness  of the programs  being
planned and performed,  as well as periodically reviews the Company's commitment
to, and implementation  of, its principle to act in a socially  responsible way.
The  Environmental,  Safety and Social  Responsibility  Committee met informally
several times in 1997 to discuss a transition  program from a central  committee
responsible  for  overseeing  these  matters  to  a  more  global  decentralized
structure.

The Nominating  Committee provides  recommendations for potential nomination for
election  of new members of the Board of  Directors.  The  Nominating  Committee
considers potential  nominations  provided by stockholders and submits suggested
nominations,  when  appropriate,  to the Board of Directors  for  approval.  The
Nominating  Committee  did not meet in 1997.  Stockholders  wishing to recommend
persons for  consideration by the Nominating  Committee as nominees for election
to the Company's Board of Directors can do so by writing to the Secretary of the
Company at 1001 North 19th Street,  Arlington,  Virginia 22209, giving each such
person's name,  biographical data and  qualifications.  Any such  recommendation
should be accompanied by a written statement from the

                                       5

<PAGE>



person  recommended  of his or her  consent  to be named as a  nominee  and,  if
nominated  and  elected,  to serve as a director.  The  Company's  By-Laws  also
contain a procedure for stockholder nomination of directors. (See "Submission of
Stockholder Proposals and Nominations" below.)

The Compensation Committee establishes rates of salary,  bonuses, profit sharing
contributions,  grants of stock options,  retirement and other  compensation for
all  directors  and  officers of AES and for such other  people as the Board may
designate.  All of the members of this  committee  are  "disinterested  persons"
under the provisions of Rule 16b-3 adopted under the Securities  Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the "Exchange  Act").  The  Compensation  Committee's  primary
responsibility  is to formulate  and maintain  the  compensation  program of the
Company  in order to  develop,  retain  (and  attract,  when  necessary)  people
important to the Company's  performance.  This  committee  specifically  acts to
evaluate  the  performance  and set the  total  compensation  for the  executive
officers of the Company,  including the CEO, in accordance  with the  guidelines
discussed  below.  This  committee  has  delegated  to the CEO the  power to set
compensation for the non-executive officers. The Compensation Committee met once
in 1997.

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

The Compensation  Committee's (the  "Committee")  guidelines for compensation of
executive  officers are designed to provide fair and competitive levels of total
compensation  while  integrating  pay  with  performance.   Executive  officers,
including  the CEO,  are  evaluated  annually  on the  basis of both  individual
responsibilities  and  contributions,  as well as  Company-wide  results  in two
related  areas:  (i)  corporate  culture (or  principles)  and (ii)  business or
functional area performance.

There  are  three  elements  in the  Company's  executive  officer  compensation
program. These elements are:

     o    Base salary

     o    Annual incentive compensation

     o    Stock option program

Base  salary is  adjusted  annually  by the  Committee  to account  for  general
economic and cost of living changes.  Adjustments are also made  periodically to
recognize significant new or additional responsibilities of individual executive
officers.  The  Committee's  guidelines are to provide base salary  compensation
generally   consistent  with  its   interpretation   of  industry  averages  for
individuals with similar responsibility levels.

Annual  incentive  compensation  is based  upon both  objective  and  subjective
measures in the areas of  corporate  culture and  business  or  functional  area
performance,  and generally  takes the form of bonuses  payable after  year-end.
With respect to corporate culture,  the Company's shared principles of fairness,
integrity,  fun and social  responsibility  are integral to its  operations  and
serve as its founding  principles or values.  These  principles apply equally to
the internal  activities  of the Company as well as its external  relationships.
Each executive officer's individual  contribution to demonstrating and nurturing
these shared values is reviewed by the  Committee and  considered as a factor in
determining annual incentive compensation.  Evaluations by the Committee in this
area are inherently subjective.

The second area considered in the determination of annual incentive compensation
is the individual  executive  officer's  performance  with respect to his or her
related business  responsibilities and/ or functional area. Although all aspects
of  an  individual's  responsibilities  are  considered  in  determining  annual
incentive compensation,  several quantitative measures of annual performance are
considered  significant,  including  operating  margin  improvements,  operating
reliability, earnings per share contributions, environmental performance,

                                       6

<PAGE>



and  plant  and  Company-wide   safety.   The  qualitative   factors  considered
significant  include  business  and  project  development  progress,   effective
planning, Company-wide support, community relations and people development.

Important  strategic  successes or failures can take several  years to translate
into  objectively  measurable  results.  The Committee  does not compute  annual
incentive   compensation   using  a  mathematical   formula  of   pre-determined
performance goals and objective criteria.  As a result, the Committee's ultimate
determination of the amount, if any, of annual incentive compensation is made at
the end of each year based on a subjective  evaluation  of several  quantitative
and qualitative factors,  with primary emphasis given this year to those factors
listed in the  preceding  paragraph.  There are no targeted,  minimum or maximum
levels  of  annual  incentive  compensation,  and  such  compensation  does  not
necessarily  bear  any  consistent  relationship  to  salary  amounts  or  total
compensation.

The Company's stock option program provides  longer-term  incentives using stock
ownership to encourage  people  within the Company to think and act like owners.
All executive  officers and approximately 59% of the total people in the Company
located in the United States  participate  in this program.  The Company is also
taking steps to incorporate those people who reside outside of the United States
into this program by  qualifying  its stock  option plan (or a similar  plan) in
each  country  where AES people  currently  reside or work.  Stock  options  are
usually  granted  annually  at the fair  market  value on the date of grant  and
provide vesting  periods to reward people for continued  service to the Company.
The  Committee's  determination  of the  number  of  options  to be  granted  to
executive  officers  is based  upon the same  factors as such  officer's  annual
incentive  compensation  discussed above with additional  consideration given to
the number of options previously granted. 

Since 1994,  the Company has  participated  in an annual survey  conducted by an
outside  consulting firm which encompasses over 400 public  companies.  Based in
part on the survey results, the Committee  established  guidelines for suggested
ranges of option grants to executive  officers as well as the rest of the people
in the Company.  Based on the survey, the Committee established guideline ranges
for  eligible  participants  between  the 50th and 90th  percentile  of  similar
companies.  As with  annual  incentive  compensation,  the  determination  of an
individual's  grant is subjective  and although the  Committee  has  established
suggested guidelines, the grants are not formula based.

Total compensation is reviewed to determine whether amounts are competitive with
other companies  whose  operations are similar in type, size and complexity with
those of the  Company,  as well as a broad range of similarly  sized  companies.
Comparisons are made with published amounts, where available,  and, from time to
time, the Company also participates in various  industry-sponsored  compensation
surveys  in  addition  to  the   public-company   survey  described  above.  The
industry-related  companies include companies in the Peer Group Index as well as
other similar  non-public  companies who  participate in industry  surveys.  The
Committee also has, in the past, engaged an independent  compensation consultant
to  specifically  review  the level and  appropriateness  of  executive  officer
compensation.  Other than as  described  above,  the Company uses the results of
surveys,  when available,  for  informational  purposes only and does not target
individual  elements of or total  compensation  to any specific  range of survey
results  (i.e.,  high,  low or  median)  other  than the  Committee's  suggested
guidelines  for stock option  grants as  discussed  in the  previous  paragraph.
Because each individual's compensation is determined, in part, by experience and
performance, actual compensation generally varies from industry averages.

Executive  officers also  participate  in the Company's  profit sharing plan (or
deferred  compensation  plan for  executive  officers)  on the same terms as all
other people in the Company, subject to

                                       7

<PAGE>



any legal limitations on amounts that may be contributed or benefits that may be
payable  under  the plan.  Matching  contributions  and  annual  profit  sharing
contributions are made with the common stock of the Company to further encourage
long-term  performance.   In  addition,   certain  individuals  of  the  Company
participate  in the  Company's  supplemental  retirement  plan,  which  provides
supplemental  retirement benefits to "highly compensated  employees" (as defined
in the Internal  Revenue Code) of any amount which would be  contributed on such
individual's behalf under the profit sharing plan (or the deferred  compensation
plan  for  executive  officers)  but  is  not  so  contributed  because  of  the
limitations contained in the Internal Revenue Code.

In most  cases,  the  Committee  has taken  steps to qualify  income paid to any
officer as a deductible  business expense pursuant to regulations  issued by the
Internal Revenue Service pursuant to Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code
with respect to qualifying  compensation paid to executive officers in excess of
$1 million.  Compensation  earned  pursuant to the  exercise of options  granted
under the Company's former stock option plan (which was discontinued in 1991) is
not considered  for purposes of the $1 million  aggregate  limit,  and exercises
under the 1991 Plan are  similarly  excluded.  The  Committee  will  continue to
consider the  implications  to the Company of qualifying all  compensation  as a
deductible  expense  under  Section 162 (m), but retains the  discretion  to pay
bonuses commensurate with an executive officer's contributions to the success of
the Company,  irrespective of whether such amounts are entirely deductible.  For
1997,  portions of Mr.  Bakke's cash  compensation  may not be deductible  under
Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code.

MR. BAKKE'S 1997 COMPENSATION

Mr. Bakke's compensation for 1997 was reviewed and approved by the Committee
utilizing the guidelines discussed above. Specifically, the following primarily
positive factors considered were:

     o    Strong adherence by the people in the Company to its shared principles
          of integrity, fairness, social responsibility and fun, as indicated by
          the Company's internal values survey.

     o    Improvement toward  integrating shared principles,  including improved
          awareness and  commitment  by AES people to the  Company's  principles
          (especially with respect to newly-acquired businesses).

     o    Increase in the price of the Company's Common Stock from year end 1996
          to year end 1997 of approximately 100%.

     o    Net income and diluted  earnings per share  increased 48% and 36% from
          1996 to 1997, respectively.

     o    Significant  development  of new project and  business  opportunities,
          including:

          o    CEMIG, an integrated utility in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil

          o    EDEN and EDES, two distribution companies serving the province of
               Buenos Aires, Argentina

          o    AES Sul, a distribution  company  serving the state of Rio Grande
               do Sul, Brazil

          o    Tau Power, an electricity and heating system in East Kazakstan

          o    Destec  Energy's  international  businesses,  consisting  of five
               plants in  construction  or operation,  and numerous  projects in
               development

          o    Numerous  project  development  successes  represented by project
               financings,  commencement  of  construction  or new  power  sales
               contract awards, in Brazil,  Mexico,  Argentina,  Australia,  the
               United Kingdom and Pennsylvania

                                       8

<PAGE>



          o    Successful   completion  of  the  amalgamation   with  AES  China
               Generating Co. Ltd.

          o    Commencement of commercial operation of AES Lal Pir in Pakistan.

          o    Successful  public issuance of $825 million  aggregate  principal
               amount  of  senior  subordinated  notes,  $550  million  of  term
               convertible preferred  securities,  $509 million of common stock,
               and an increase in the Company's  short-term  credit  facility to
               $600 million.

          o    An exceptional year in plant reliability and availability  across
               the Company.

          o    Continued  excellent  environmental  performance  below permitted
               levels (on average).

          o    An increase in the Company's backlog of sales from $80 billion to
               $115 billion.

          o    An increase in total net megawatts in operation,  construction or
               under advanced development from approximately 9,000 to 18,000.

The following primarily negative factors considered were:

          o    While the Company's overall safety record continued to improve in
               1997,  several very serious  injuries  occurred,  including three
               (two amongst the Company's  contractors) that resulted in loss of
               life.



Based on a subjective evaluation considering all of these factors, the Committee
determined that an increase in total cash compensation of approximately 52% from
1996 to 1997 was  appropriate  as compared  to an increase  from 1995 to 1996 of
approximately  40%. Of the total 1996 to 1997 increase,  Mr. Bakke's base salary
increased  approximately  10% and his bonus increased  approximately  76%. Stock
option  grants were for 55,209  shares.  Stock  options were granted at the fair
market value of the underlying  shares on the date of grant and vest at the rate
of 50% per year through December 1999.

                                                Frank Jungers, Chairman

                                                Alice F. Emerson

                                                Robert H. Waterman, Jr.


                                       9

<PAGE>



- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMPENSATION OF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

The  following  table  discloses  compensation  received by the five most highly
compensated executive officers for the three years ended December 31, 1997.

                          SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                              ANNUAL COMPENSATION                                 LONG TERM COMPENSATION
                            --------------------------------------------------------   -------------------------------------------
                                                                                           SECURITIES
NAME AND                                                             OTHER ANNUAL          UNDERLYING            ALL OTHER
PRINCIPAL POSITION           YEAR     SALARY ($)     BONUS ($)     COMPENSATION ($)     OPTIONS (#) (1)     COMPENSATION ($) (2)
- -------------------------   ------   ------------   -----------   ------------------   -----------------   ---------------------
<S>                         <C>      <C>            <C>           <C>                  <C>                 <C>
DENNIS W. BAKKE             1997       450,000      1,300,000             9,699              55,209                61,250
Chief Executive             1996       410,000        738,000            12,508              70,833                54,600
Officer and President       1995       367,000        450,000            19,377              70,000                39,775
ROGER W. SANT               1997       260,000        275,000                 0               4,167                39,400
Chairman of the Board       1996       246,000        378,000            19,298               6,250                36,560
                            1995       367,000        350,000            21,550             120,000                39,453
THOMAS A. TRIBONE           1997       200,000        800,000             2,920              16,667                32,500
Senior Vice President       1996       175,000        500,000            10,393              12,500                28,750
                            1995       160,000        150,000             8,924              23,000                15,960
MARK F. FITZPATRICK         1997       200,000        450,000           280,815*             13,542                32,500
Senior Vice President       1996       170,000        500,000           263,032*             12,500                27,200
                            1995       143,000        110,000           263,716*             21,000                22,523
BARRY J. SHARP              1997       200,000        650,000             3,553              13,542                32,500
Senior Vice President,      1996       170,000        325,000             8,951              11,250                28,200
Chief Financial Officer     1995       146,000        180,000             8,947              25,000                22,995
</TABLE>

- ----------

*    Includes ex-patriate compensation.

(1)  The number of options  shown as  compensation  as of December 31, 1997 were
     for  services  rendered for 1997.  Those stock  options were awarded by the
     Compensation Committee of the Board in December 1997.

(2)  This column constitutes Company contributions to The AES Corporation Profit
     Sharing and Stock  Ownership Plan and the Employee Stock  Ownership Plan of
     the  Company  or,  in the  case of Mr.  Sant,  Company  allocations  to the
     Deferred  Compensation Plan for Executive Officers,  and allocations to the
     Company's Supplemental Retirement Plan. Company allocations to the Deferred
     Compensation  Plan for  Executive  Officers  equal amounts which would have
     been contributed to such person's account under The AES Corporation  Profit
     Sharing and Stock  Ownership Plan and the Employee Stock Ownership Plan, if
     such person had been a  participant  therein.  Specifically  for 1997,  (a)
     amounts allocated to the Deferred Compensation Plan for Executive Officers:
     Mr. Sant -- $20,500;  (b) amounts contributed to The AES Profit Sharing and
     Stock  Ownership  Plan and  Employee  Stock  Ownership  Plan:  Mr. Bakke --
     $20,500;  Mr. Tribone -- $20,500;  Mr. Fitzpatrick -- $20,500; Mr. Sharp --
     $20,500;  (c) amounts  allocated to the  Supplemental  Retirement Plan: Mr.
     Bakke --  $40,750;  Mr.  Sant --  $18,900;  Mr.  Tribone  --  $12,000;  Mr.
     Fitzpatrick -- $12,000; Mr. Sharp -- $12,000.

                                       10

<PAGE>



OPTION GRANTS IN LAST FISCAL YEAR

The following  table  provides  information  on options  granted for 1997 to the
named executive officers.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                             % OF TOTAL
                               NUMBER OR       OPTIONS
                              SECURITIES       GRANTED
                              UNDERLYING       TO ALL       EXERCISE
                                OPTIONS      AES PEOPLE     OR BASE                     GRANT DATE
                                GRANTED       IN FISCAL      PRICE      EXPIRATION     PRESENT VALUE
NAME                            (#)(1)          YEAR         ($/SH)        DATE           ($) (2)
- --------------------------   ------------   ------------   ---------   ------------   --------------
<S>                          <C>            <C>            <C>         <C>            <C>

DENNIS W. BAKKE
Chief Executive
Officer and President           55,209      7.9%           39.00         12/3/07        1,325,016

ROGER W. SANT
Chairman of the Board            4,167      0.6%           39.00         12/3/07          100,008

THOMAS A. TRIBONE
Senior Vice President           16,667      2.4%           39.00         12/3/07          400,008

MARK F. FITZPATRICK
Senior Vice President           13,542      1.9%           39.00         12/3/07          325,008

BARRY J. SHARP
Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer         13,542      1.9%           39.00         12/3/07          325,008
</TABLE>

- ----------

(1)  All options are for shares of Common Stock of the Company.  Options granted
     for services performed in 1997 were granted at the fair market value on the
     date of grant, and vest at the rate of 50% per year through December 1999.

(2)  The  Black-Scholes  stock option  pricing model was used to value the stock
     options on the grant date  (December 3, 1997).  The  Company's  assumptions
     under this model include an expected volatility of 39.5%, a 5.86% risk free
     rate of return and no dividends. The options have 10 year terms and vest at
     50% per  year.  There  were no  adjustments  made to  account  for  vesting
     provisions, and no adjustments were made for non-transferability or risk of
     forfeiture.

     The use of such  amounts and  assumptions  are not intended to forecast any
     possible  future  appreciation  of the  Company's  stock  price or dividend
     policy.

                                       11

<PAGE>



AGGREGATED  OPTION  EXERCISES IN LAST FISCAL YEAR,  AND FISCAL  YEAR-END  OPTION
VALUE

The following  table  provides  information  on option  exercises in 1997 by the
named executive officers and the value of such officers'  unexercised options at
December 31, 1997.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                   NUMBER OF
                                                                                   SECURITIES          VALUE OF
                                                                                   UNDERLYING         UNEXERCISED
                                                                                  UNEXERCISED        IN-THE-MONEY
                                                                                   OPTIONS AT         OPTIONS AT
                                                                                   FY-END (#)         FY-END ($)
                                                                                ---------------   ------------------
                                           SHARES ACQUIRED     VALUE REALIZED     EXERCISABLE/       EXERCISABLE/
NAME                                       ON EXERCISE (#)        ($) (1)        UNEXERCISABLE     UNEXERCISABLE (2)
- ---------------------------------------   -----------------   ---------------   ---------------   ------------------
<S>                                       <C>                 <C>               <C>               <C>
DENNIS W. BAKKE
Chief Executive Officer and President               --                  --          677,049 /        26,073,216 /
                                                                                    179,076           4,123,239
ROGER W. SANT
Chairman of the Board                                                             1,080,386 /        44,283,457 /
                                                    --                  --           64,593           2,188,773
THOMAS A. TRIBONE
Senior Vice President                           57,938           2,083,740          298,655 /        12,071,018 /
                                                                                     45,962           1,054,141
MARK F. FITZPATRICK
Senior Vice President                           22,030             674,048          122,605 /         4,400,098 /
                                                                                     42,073           1,002,545
BARRY J. SHARP
Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer                                                             230,675 /         9,065,657 /
                                                    --                  --           41,905           1,011,857
</TABLE>

- ----------

(1)  The amounts in this column have been  calculated  based upon the difference
     between  the fair  market  value of the  securities  underlying  each stock
     option on the date of exercise and its exercise price.

(2)  The  amounts in this column have been  calculated  based on the  difference
     between the fair market value on December 31, 1997 of $46.625 per share for
     each  security  underlying  such stock  option  and the per share  exercise
     price.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                       12

<PAGE>



                  THE AES CORPORATION STOCK PRICE PERFORMANCE

                               [GRAPHIC OMITTED]



 MEASUREMENT PERIOD            THE AES
(FISCAL YEAR COVERED)         CORPORATION         S&P 500        1997 PEER GROUP
- ---------------------         -----------         -------        ---------------
         1992                   100.00            100.00              100.00
         1993                   129.88            110.08              102.75
         1994                   111.80            111.53               84.30
         1995                   136.87            153.45               98.34
         1996                   266.59            188.68              139.73
         1997                   534.62            251.63              180.14
                                                                


PEER GROUP INDEX*

The 1997 Peer Group consists of the following  publicly-traded  companies in the
global power generation industry: Edison International,  CMS Energy Corporation,
CalEnergy Company, Inc., and National Power, PLC.

The 1997 Peer Group Index  reflects  the weighted  average  total return for the
entire  Peer  Group  calculated  for the  period in which the  Company's  equity
securities were registered with the Securities and Exchange  Commission pursuant
to the Exchange  Act,  from a base of 100. In  compliance  with  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission  regulations,  the returns of each company in the 1997 Peer
Group Index have been weighted  according to their market  capitalization  as of
the beginning of the period.

The Report of the Compensation  Committee on Executive  Compensation and The AES
Corporation  Stock Price Performance Graph shall not be deemed to be "soliciting
material"  or to be "filed"  with the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  or
subject to Regulation 14A or 14C under the Exchange Act.

- ----------

*    Excludes The AES Corporation



                                       13

<PAGE>



SECTION 16 (A) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE

Based solely on the Company's review of reports filed under Section 16(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act and certain  representations,  the Company believes that
there were no reports  which were not  reported  on a timely  basis and no known
failure to file a required form,  except that Mr. Hemphill did not timely report
the sale of 26,178  shares on Form 4; Mr. Paul Stinson did not timely report the
sale of 2,939 shares in his AES Profit Sharing and Stock  Ownership Plan account
on Form 4; and Mr.  Tribone  did not timely  report the sale of 2,000  shares on
Form 4.

PROPOSAL 2
APPOINTMENT OF AUDITORS

The  Board  of  Directors  has  appointed  Deloitte  &  Touche  LLP,  a firm  of
independent   public   accountants,   as  auditors  to  examine  and  report  to
stockholders for the year 1998. Deloitte & Touche LLP has acted as the Company's
independent   auditors   since  1981.   The   appointment   was  made  upon  the
recommendation  of the  Financial  Audit  Committee  of the Board of  Directors.
Representatives  of Deloitte & Touche LLP will be present at the Annual  Meeting
and  will be  given  an  opportunity  to make a  statement.  They  also  will be
available to respond to appropriate questions.

The Board of Directors  recommends that the stockholders  ratify the appointment
of Deloitte & Touche LLP,  and intends to introduce  at the  forthcoming  Annual
Meeting the following resolution (designated herein as Proposal 2):

      "RESOLVED,  that the  appointment  by the Board of Directors of Deloitte &
      Touche LLP as  independent  auditors for this Company for the year 1998 is
      hereby approved, ratified and confirmed."

The  affirmative  vote of the  holders of a majority  of shares of Common  Stock
entitled  to notice of and to vote at the  Annual  Meeting of  Stockholders,  at
which a quorum is present,  is necessary for the ratification of the appointment
of Deloitte & Touche LLP as  independent  auditors  for the Company for the year
1998.

SUBMISSION OF STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS AND NOMINATIONS

Any stockholder  entitled to vote in the election of directors and who meets the
requirements  of the proxy rules under the  Exchange Act may submit to the Board
of Directors  proposals to be considered for submission to the  stockholders  at
the 1999 Annual  Meeting.  Any such  proposal  should be submitted in writing by
notice delivered or mailed by first-class  United States mail,  postage prepaid,
to the  Secretary,  The AES  Corporation,  1001  North 19th  Street,  Arlington,
Virginia  22209 and must be received no later than  November 23, 1998.  Any such
notice shall set forth: (a) the name and address of the stockholder and the text
of the  proposal  to be  introduced;  (b) the  number of shares of stock held of
record,  owned  beneficially  and represented by proxy by such stockholder as of
the date of such notice; and (c) a representation  that the stockholder  intends
to appear  in  person  or by proxy at the  meeting  to  introduce  the  proposal
specified  in  the  notice.  The  chairperson  of  the  meeting  may  refuse  to
acknowledge the introduction of any stockholder  proposal not made in compliance
with the foregoing procedure.

AES's By-Laws contain a procedure for stockholder  nomination of directors.  The
By-Laws provide that any record owner of stock entitled to be voted generally in
the  election of  directors  may  nominate one or more persons for election as a
director  at a  stockholders  meeting  only if  written  notice  is given to the
Secretary  of AES of the  intent to make such  nomination.  The  notice  must be
given,  with respect to an annual meeting,  not later than 90 days in advance of
such annual  meeting and with respect to a special  meeting,  not later than the
close of business on the  seventh day  following  the earlier of (a) the date on
which notice of such special meeting is first given to stockholders  and (b) the
date on which a pub-

                                       14

<PAGE>



lic announcement of such meeting is first made. Each notice must include (i) the
name and address of each stockholder who intends to appear in person or by proxy
to make the  nomination  and of the person or persons  to be  nominated;  (ii) a
description of all  arrangements or  understandings  between the stockholder and
each nominee and any other person or persons (naming them) pursuant to which the
nomination  is to be made  by the  stockholder;  (iii)  such  other  information
regarding each nominee  proposed by such stockholder as would have been included
in a proxy  statement  filed  pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act; and
(iv) the consent of each nominee to serve if elected.  The presiding  officer of
the meeting may refuse to  acknowledge  the nomination of any person not made in
compliance  with this  procedure.  The procedure for  stockholder  nomination of
directors  described  above may have the effect of  precluding a nomination  for
election of directors at a particular  meeting if the required  procedure is not
followed.

SOLICITATION OF PROXIES

Proxies will be solicited by mail,  telephone,  or other means of communication.
The Company has retained the services of First Chicago Trust Company of New York
and Corporate  Investor  Communications,  Inc. to assist in the  solicitation of
proxies  from  stockholders  for a fee,  including  its  expenses,  estimated at
$3,500.  In  addition,  solicitation  may be made by  directors,  officers,  and
regular  employees of the Company.  The Company will reimburse  brokerage firms,
custodians,  nominees,  and  fiduciaries  in  accordance  with the  rules of the
National  Association  of Securities  Dealers,  Inc.,  for  reasonable  expenses
incurred by them in forwarding materials to the beneficial owners of shares. The
entire cost of solicitation will be borne by the Company.

FORM 10-K ANNUAL REPORT

ANY  STOCKHOLDER  WHO DESIRES A COPY OF THE COMPANY'S 1997 ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM
10-K  FILED  WITH THE  SECURITIES  AND  EXCHANGE  COMMISSION  MAY  OBTAIN A COPY
(EXCLUDING  EXHIBITS)  WITHOUT  CHARGE BY ADDRESSING A REQUEST TO THE SECRETARY,
THE AES CORPORATION, 1001 NORTH 19TH STREET, ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA 22209. EXHIBITS
ALSO MAY BE REQUESTED,  BUT A CHARGE EQUAL TO THE REPRODUCTION COST THEREOF WILL
BE   MADE.   STOCKHOLDERS   MAY   ALSO   VISIT   THE   COMPANY'S   WEB  SITE  AT
HTTP://WWW.AESC.COM

By Order of the Board Of Directors,


/s/ William R. Luraschi
William R. Luraschi
Vice President and Secretary

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                                      PROXY

                               THE AES CORPORATION
             PROXY SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF

          THE AES CORPORATION FOR ANNUAL MEETING ON APRIL 21, 1998.

   THE  UNDERSIGNED  hereby appoints Roger W. Sant or Dennis W. Bakke, or either
of them, and any substitute or  substitutes,  to be the attorneys and proxies of
the  undersigned at the Annual Meeting of  Stockholders  of The AES  Corporation
("AES") to be held at 9:30 a.m.  EST on Tuesday,  April 21, 1998 at 1001 N. 19th
St.,  Arlington,  VA 22209, or at any adjournment  thereof,  and to vote at such
meeting the shares of common stock of AES the undersigned  held of record on the
books  of AES on the  record  date  for the  meeting  for the  election  for the
nominees listed below, on Proposals 1 and 2, referred to on the reverse side and
described in the Proxy Statement,  and on any other business before the meeting,
with all powers the undersigned would possess if personally present.

                                                  (change of address/comments)

   ELECTION OF DIRECTORS, NOMINEES:

Roger W. Sant            Dennis W. Bakke          ______________________________
Alice F. Emerson         Hazel R. O'Leary         ______________________________
Robert F. Hemphill, Jr.  Thomas I. Unterberg      ______________________________
Francis Jungers          Robert H. Waterman, Jr.  ______________________________
John H. McArthur         
                                                  (If you  have  written  in the
                                                  above  space,  please mark the
                                                  corresponding   box   on   the
                                                      reverse side of this card)

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO SPECIFY YOUR CHOICES BY MARKING THE APPROPRIATE BOXES, SEE
REVERSE SIDE,  BUT YOU NEED NOT MARK ANY BOXES IF YOU WISH TO VOTE IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS' RECOMMENDATIONS. THE PROXIES CANNOT VOTE YOUR SHARE
UNLESS YOU SIGN AND RETURN THIS CARD.

                         (TO BE SIGNED ON REVERSE SIDE)
================================================================================

[X]  Please mark your votes as in this example.

   This proxy when properly  executed will be voted in the manner herein.  If no
direction is made, this proxy will be voted FOR Proposals 1 and 2.

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     THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR COMPANY PROPOSALS 1 AND 2.
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1.   Election of Directors (see reverse)  2.  Ratification  of apppointment  of
        [ ] FOR    [ ] WITHHELD               independent auditors             
                                                                               
                                              [ ] FOR  [ ] AGAINST [ ] ABSTAIN 


For,   except  vote  withheld  from  the  Change of Address/                   
following nominees(s):                    Comments on Reverse Side [  ]        
                                          All as more particularly described in
________________________________________  the  Proxy Statement relating to such
                                          meeting, receipt of which  is  hereby
                                          acknowledged.                        
                                          Please  sign  exactly as name appears
                                          herein, Joint owners should each sign.
                                          When signing as attorney,   executor,
                                          administrator, trustee or   guardian,
                                          please give full title as such.      
                                                                               
                                                                               
                                          _____________________________________
                                                                               
                                          _____________________________________
                                             Signatures(s)   Date              
                                           





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