Gahanna, Ohio (Sept. 18, 2008) – More than 435,000 AEP Ohio customers have had their electricity service restored this afternoon since a devastating wind storm swept across the state throughout the day on Sunday. More than 3,000 field resources, including AEP Ohio line employees, contract line personnel and tree trimmers, are in the company’s service territory to restore power. As of 3 p.m. today, approximately 215,000 customers remain without power.
 
Sunday’s strong winds dropping tree limbs and entire trees into power lines is a primary culprit for the massive power outages being experienced by AEP Ohio customers.  According to company officials, the numerous fallen trees and broken tree limbs that resulted from the high winds continue to have a major impact on efforts to restore services throughout the state.  
 
Tree crews work closely with line repair crews to clear storm debris so that restoration efforts can proceed.   The need to remove large trees delays restoration work. Crews cut limbs only to the extent required to install lines.
 
Customers need to know that AEP Ohio or its contractors do not remove storm debris and will move the debris only if it is necessary to facilitate the restoration effort. Crews stopping to remove debris would significantly increase the amount of time required to restore service to all customers.
 
AEP Ohio is working hard to restore power as quickly and safely as possible and understand customers´ concerns over when their power will be restored. The company appreciates the ongoing patience of its customers.

For restoration estimates by area, go to aepohio.com and view updated information on the company’s restoration progress. Please note that these restoration times are estimates for 90 percent completion and are subject to change. Also, for customers in central Ohio, please see our maps of affected areas and projected 90 percent restoration times (PDF). Please keep in mind that these maps do not represent a complete area without power. In many instances, areas shown have been restored. However, areas color coded represent the end of day  AEP Ohio anticipates 90 percent of the outages known in that area to be restored. The maps do not represent complete restoration to an area. Outages affecting individual customers may remain.

Important Safety Message:
Never touch a downed utility wire, no matter how harmless it looks. It can be difficult to distinguish between a power line and a cable or telephone line. All downed lines should be considered energized and dangerous. And don’t touch anything in contact with the line, such as trees, fences or puddles of water, since they can conduct electricity. Keep children and pets away from this potential hazard. Call AEP Ohio to report any downed lines or equipment.

AEP Ohio provides electricity to nearly 1.5 million customers of major AEP subsidiaries Columbus Southern Power Company and Ohio Power Company in Ohio, and Wheeling Power Company in the northern panhandle of West Virginia. AEP Ohio is based in Gahanna, Ohio. The company serves all or part of 61 counties in Ohio and two in West Virginia.

American Electric Power is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering 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. AEP’s transmission system directly or indirectly serves about 10 percent of the electricity demand in the Eastern Interconnection, the interconnected transmission system that covers 38 eastern and central U.S. states and eastern Canada, and approximately 11 percent of the electricity demand in ERCOT, the transmission system that covers much of Texas. 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.