COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 25, 1998 -- AEP Resources, a subsidiary of American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP), has established European and Asia/Pacific development offices to pursue energy-related opportunities. David Mustine, senior vice president - European development, heads the London office and seeks opportunities throughout Europe. Initial interests are the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Poland and Kazakhstan. Donald Boyd, senior vice president - Asia/Pacific development, heads the Singapore office and seeks opportunities throughout the region. Initial interests are Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand. AEP Resources personnel in Beijing and Sydney, Australia, will report to Boyd, as will the AEP Resources project staff for a power plant under construction near Nanyang City, China. "The electricity industry is experiencing rapid change in many countries," said Donald M. Clements Jr., president of AEP Resources. "Some countries are undergoing privatization or other changes to their electricity system. In many areas, the demand for electricity has outpaced the availability. Since reliable electricity is vital for economic growth, we expect to find a variety of opportunities or projects." Potential activities for AEP Resources include greenfield development projects or the acquisition of existing assets. The company is also interested in developing partnerships or alliances with other companies. In addition to Europe and the Asia/Pacific region, AEP Resources is seeking opportunities in North America and Latin America. "AEP has almost a century of success as a very efficient, low-cost provider of electricity," Clements said. "AEP built and operates some of the world's most efficient coal-fired power plants in the United States. It also built and operates a 22,000-mile transmission grid and a 105,000-mile distribution network to move electricity from the plants to customers. These historic strengths are assets when we participate in projects around the world." AEP Resources, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Electric Power, pursues energy-related domestic and international investment opportunities and projects. The company has offices in Columbus, Ohio; London; Singapore; Toronto; Beijing; and Sydney, Australia. AEP, a global energy company, is one of the United States' largest investor-owned utilities, providing energy to 2.9 million customers in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky. AEP has holdings in the United States, the United Kingdom and China. Wholly owned subsidiaries provide power engineering, consulting and management services around the world. The company is based in Columbus, Ohio.