STEUBENVILLE, OH, August 17, 2009 – In an effort to improve the safety and reliability of its electrical facilities, AEP Ohio, a unit of American Electric Power (NYSE:AEP), will begin concentrating its distribution power line clearance efforts in Jefferson and Harrison Counties along County Road 22A, Belvedere, Fairplay - County Road 36, Hopedale and Cadiz, OH areas.  Aerial saw tree trimming is being conducted as part of the company’s ongoing vegetation management program.
 
AEP Ohio has employed Haverfield, Inc. to perform this work through the use of a helicopter tree-trimming saw.  The tree-trimming tool is suspended beneath a helicopter by a vertical boom that has multiple motor-powered saw blades attached. This method of aerial side trimming is quick, safe and provides thorough vegetation clearing of right-of-way areas. 
 
The helicopter will fly at an average speed of five miles per hour at tree-top heights while operating.  This work will start on Tuesday, Aug. 18, and continue for approximately four weeks, Monday through Saturday from daybreak to dusk, weather permitting. 
 
The company’s main priority is to eliminate potential safety hazards and clear vegetation causing service reliability problems associated with our lines.  Customers are strongly urged to not trim or remove trees near or adjacent to power lines. 
 
Trees are an important part of the environment, and AEP Ohio is committed to balancing the importance of trees with the equally important need to provide safe, reliable electricity. Customers with questions should contact AEP at 1-800-672-2231 or on the web at aepohio.com.
 
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 owns more than 36,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the United States and is the nation´s largest electricity generator.  AEP is also one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, with more than 5 million customers linked to AEP’s 11-state electricity transmission and distribution grid.  The company is based in Columbus, Ohio.