GAHANNA, Ohio, Feb. 21, 2014 – AEP Ohio, a unit of American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP), and AEP Ohio Transmission Company will use helicopters to install a new high-voltage 138-kilovolt (kV) transmission line in parts of Delaware, Franklin and Union counties.

           Installation of the new line is part of the company’s ongoing efforts to maintain and improve the reliability of its electric transmission system in central Ohio. The approximate $6 million dollar investment by AEP will help address reliability concerns identified by the regional transmission organization and also support planned development in the Dublin area.

           The new line is being installed on the vacant side of the company’s existing 345-kV line steel structures that connect its Hayden and Hyatt substations.

           The work is expected to take place between Feb. 24 and May 30. Weather delays could alter this schedule. AEP has contracted with Source Helicopters, a part of Rogers Helicopters, to lower contract line workers to and from the structures, lower line equipment and tools to the workers and help pull the new wire conductor from structure to structure. Rogers Helicopters is based in Fresno, Calif. AEP has contracted with Service Electric, Chattanooga, Tenn., to install the equipment and conductor. AEP has been using helicopters for aerial construction in Ohio, including central Ohio, for the last 10 years.

           When complete, the new line will stretch approximately 10 miles, including through the city of Dublin and Washington Township in Franklin County, Jerome Township in Union County, and Concord and Liberty townships in Delaware County.

           More information about the project and a video clip may be viewed at http://www.aeptransmission.com/ohio/. Click on Letters of Notification and scroll to the links for the Hayden-Hyatt 345-kV project.

           Residents who have questions or concerns about the project may call the AEP Ohio Transmission Project Information Line at 614-883-6929 or 1-877-215-9261, or send an email inquiry through “contact us” on AEPOhio.com.

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                AEP Ohio provides electricity to nearly 1.5 million customers of major AEP subsidiary Ohio Power Company in Ohio. AEP Ohio is based in Gahanna, Ohio, and is a unit of American Electric Power. News and information about AEP Ohio can be found at AEPOhio.com.

                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 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’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 and north Texas). AEP’s headquarters are in Columbus, Ohio. News releases and other information about AEP can be found at aep.com.

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