File No. __________________

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                                Washington, D.C.

                                    FORM U-57

                 NOTIFICATION OF FOREIGN UTILITY COMPANY STATUS

                        Filed under section 33(a) of the

             Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended

SEI Operadora de Argentina S.A.
(Name of foreign utility company)


THE AES CORPORATION
1001 N. 19th Street
Suite 2000
Arlington, Virginia 22209
(Name of filing company, if filed on behalf of foreign utility company)

The Commission is requested to mail copies of all correspondence relating to
this Notification to:

         William R. Luraschi, Esq.
         The AES Corporation
         1001 N. 19th Street
         Suite 2000
         Arlington, Virginia  22209

         Julia Dryden English, Esq.
         Dewey Ballantine LLP
         1775 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
         Washington, D.C.  20006



ITEM 1

         Foreign utility status is claimed by SEI Operadora de Argentina S.A., a
company organized under the laws of the Republic of Argentina, with its business
address at Suipacha 1111 18th floor, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

         SEI Operadora de Argentina operates the 1,000 MW Alicura hydro project
located on the Limay River in Neuquen and Rio Negro Provinces, Argentina.

         Upon or shortly after the closing of the acquisition transaction, SEI
Operadora de Argentina will be renamed. Upon the closing of the acquisition
transaction, AES Corporation will own 100% of the renamed entity through its
subsidiary, AES Alicura Holdings S.R.L.

         The AES Corporation is a Delaware corporation.

ITEM 2

         AES Operadora de Argentina S.A. has one domestic associate public
utility company, Central Illinois Light Company ("CILCO"), through The AES
Corporation. By letter dated March 10, 1999, the Illinois Commerce Commission
certified to the SEC that (1) it has the authority and resources to protect
Illinois consumers in accordance with applicable Illinois statutes, and (2) it
intends to exercise that authority, as required under Section 33(a)(2) of the
Act in connection with this transaction. AES hereby incorporates that letter
into this filing by reference.

         The undersigned company has duly caused this statement to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

By: /s/ William R. Luraschi
   ------------------------
William R. Luraschi
General Counsel
The AES Corporation
1001 N. 19th Street
Suite 2000
Arlington, Virginia  22209
(703) 522-1315



Dated:  August 23, 2000