COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 8, 2016 – American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) has named Raja Sundararajan vice president - Regulatory Services, effective Sept. 12. Sundararajan is currently vice president - Transmission Asset Strategy and Policy for AEP. He will report to Bruce Evans, AEP’s chief customer officer.

“Raja has proven success in advancing transmission regulatory policy at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, with state regulators and in the regional transmission organizations where we operate,” Evans said. “His collaborative leadership style, strategic vision and excellent technical skills will be incredibly important as the AEP regulatory team advocates for the right regulatory structures, rules and policies to support the electric utility model of the future and to meet the evolving needs and expectations of our customers.”

Sundararajan will be responsible for AEP’s regulatory activities before 11 state regulatory commissions and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). He is replacing Rich Munczinski, senior vice president - Regulatory Services, who is retiring in December 2016.

Sundararajan, 41, has been vice president - Transmission Asset Strategy and Policy since March 2012, with responsibility for the oversight of all Regional Transmission Organization (RTO), FERC, and state regulatory and strategic matters related to AEP Transmission and AEP’s Transource projects. He also formulated and advanced regulatory policies on behalf of AEP. In 2016, his responsibilities were expanded to include finance, siting and right-of-way for AEP’s transmission operations.

He previously was AEP’s managing director - Transmission Business Strategy, with responsibility for executing business plans for AEP Transcos and transmission joint ventures. He also worked to develop, communicate and implement strategies and RTO policies for internal transmission assets and joint venture projects.           

Sundararajan joined AEP in 2002 in Commercial Operations and has held management positions in Treasury and Corporate Finance, primarily responsible for oversight of debt and financing issues related to AEP and its operating companies. He also was AEP’s managing director of Market Risk, overseeing financial risk and providing independent oversight to AEP Commercial Operations and AEP Energy Partners trading and marketing positions.

Sundararajan has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India. He also has a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Maryland, a master's degree in business administration (MBA) from the University of Michigan and he completed the Executive MBA program at the University of Virginia. Sundararajan also serves as a board member of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.

American Electric Power is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity and custom energy solutions to nearly 5.4 million customers in 11 states. AEP owns the nation’s largest electricity transmission system, a more than 40,000-mile network that includes more 765-kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined. AEP also operates 224,000 miles of distribution lines. AEP ranks among the nation’s largest generators of electricity, owning approximately 31,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. AEP also supplies 3,200 megawatts of renewable energy to customers. AEP’s utility units operate as AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana and east Texas). AEP’s headquarters are in Columbus, Ohio.