COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 15, 2011 – American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) has been named one of the top 50 companies for executive women by the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE). The list recognizes organizations whose programs and policies support women’s advancement and who have significant female representation in senior management and on boards of directors.

“Women are important contributors to AEP’s success at all levels of the company,” said Michael G. Morris, AEP chairman and chief executive officer. “We are proud to be recognized by NAFE for our efforts to attract and retain talented women in executive positions and to provide opportunities for all of our employees to grow and develop into valuable leaders in the organization.”

Venita McCellon-Allen, president and chief operating officer of AEP's Southwestern Electric Power Company, will accept the award on the company’s behalf at a NAFE luncheon program in New York March 30.

This is the third time (2007, 2010, 2011) AEP has been named to NAFE’s list of top companies for women executives. NAFE is affiliated with Working Mother magazine, which also has recognized AEP as one of the best companies for multicultural women for the past five years and one of the 100 best companies for working mothers in 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

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.