By The Business Review (Albany)

President Barack Obama will tour GE Energyâ¿¿s complex in Schenectady on Jan. 11 and deliver a speech highlighting the importance of exports and energy-related jobs.

Local workers for General Electric (NYSE: GE) will be among those working on $750 million of gas and steam turbines for a power plant in India, a mega-deal announced last fall.

The significance of the deal is one reason for Obamaâ¿¿s visit, the White House said on Friday.

GE chairman and CEO Jeffrey Immelt will give Obama a tour of a few buildings on the GE campus, likely the advanced-battery plant undergoing a $100-million renovation, and the nearby headquarters for GE Renewable Energy. GE is one of the nationâ¿¿s largest exporters.

Air Force One will land at Albany International Airport.

⿿These visits are not an accident,⿝ said U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko (D-Amsterdam), a two-term congressman whose district includes Schenectady.

⿿It⿿s flattering, and encouraging. We⿿re a hand-and-glove fit to the president⿿s goals,⿝ Tonko said. ⿿The president coming here just reinforces our efforts.⿝

The trip marks Obamaâ¿¿s second trip to the Capital Region in 16 months. Obama delivered a speech at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy in September 2009 in a visit to highlight the schoolâ¿¿s high-tech training programs.

Copyright 2011 American City Business Journals

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