WELCH, WV, June 11, 2007 – Appalachian Power has scheduled several customer information meetings in McDowell County for those new customers coming to the company from other electrical utilities. At the direction of the Public Service Commission of West Virginia, Appalachian Power will acquire the electrical assets of Elkhorn Public Service, Kimball Light & Water, United Light & Power and War Light & Power, and begin serving those customers on July 1, 2007.

Customers are invited to attend any of the following customer information meetings:
7 p.m.    Monday   June 18  Kimball Elementary School  Kimball
7 p.m.   Tuesday   June 19   Big Creek High School        War
7 p.m.   Thursday  June 21   Iaeger High School              Iaeger
 
“We’re having these meetings to provide a chance for us to meet our new customers face to face,” said Jeri Matheney, project manager for the acquisition. “It’s certainly not necessary for customers to attend the meetings, but many customers may have questions and want to speak with us about them before the July 1 start of service.”
           
Representatives of the Public Service Commission will also be available at the meetings for customers.

Matheney said customers will automatically be transferred to Appalachian Power from their current electrical provider. They will not need to sign up for electrical service, but after July 1, they may want to sign up for the average monthly payment plan, checkless payment plan or another of the company’s bill payment options. This may be done online at www.AppalachianPower.com or by calling the Customer Solution Center at 1-800-982-4237.

Appalachian Power has already begun work in the area, according to Matheney. The company contracted with Osmose Utilities Services to inventory and assess the electrical facilities and rights of way in the area. This work has been taking place for several weeks and is almost complete.

In addition, the company is planning to replace all electrical meters. Beginning in July, the company will install highly accurate new meters that may be read in most cases without entering the customer’s property, making it much more convenient for customers.      

Appalachian Power has about 1 million customers in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee (as AEP Appalachian Power). It is a unit of American Electric Power, one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, which delivers electricity to more than 5 million customers in 11 states. AEP ranks among the nation’s largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. AEP also owns the nation’s largest electricity transmission system, a nearly 39,000-mile network that includes more 765 kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined.