COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 6, 1999 -- Higher temperatures lead to higher electricity bills, but customers can take steps to reduce energy use and save money, according to American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP).

Customers can follow these suggestions to conserve energy:

-- Set the thermostat between 78 degrees and 80 degrees, and the thermostat fan control to ON. This will allow the air conditioner or heat pump to dehumidify and cool. By keeping the air moving throughout the home, this will save energy.

-- Turn the cooling off and set the thermostat fan control to ON. This will still circulate the air and not allow hot air to gather in one place.

-- Do not shut registers or close off rooms when your air conditioner or heat pump is cooling. By doing this, you are shutting down the air supply the air conditioner or heat pump needs to operate. More energy may be actually used! Also, choking the air off from the air conditioner or heat pump may cause damage to the compressor, reducing its life and causing expensive repairs.

-- Close blinds and curtains in sunny windows during the hottest part of the day.

-- Pre-cool your home by running the air conditioner or heat pump with the thermostat set at 65 degrees during the morning hours, then turn it off. The home temperature will then slowly increase but still remain cool until later in the day.

-- Install a programmable thermostat that will automatically set up the cooling temperature when you are at work and back down when you get home.

-- Tightly close all windows and doors when running heat pumps or air conditioners. Open windows and doors not only let in hot air but also humidity, which will cause the cooling system to run longer and use more energy.

-- Change heat pump and air conditioner filters every season, especially before summer. A dirty filter chokes off the air from a heat pump or air conditioner causing it to use more energy and causing harm to the compressor.

AEP said it has sufficient generation to supply electricity to its customers. Unlike the heat wave of June 1998 when many utilities’ generating units were out of service, no shortage of electricity presently exists. While the average temperature across the AEP system is about 90 degrees, AEP has no immediate plans to curtail service to industrial customers with interruptible contracts or to ask residential customers to voluntarily cut back on their electricity usage.

AEP, a global energy company, is one of the United States´ largest investor-owned utilities, providing energy to 3 million customers in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. AEP has holdings in the United States, the United Kingdom, China and Australia. Wholly owned subsidiaries provide power engineering, energy consulting and energy management services around the world. The company is based in Columbus, Ohio. On Dec. 22, 1997, AEP announced a definitive merger agreement for a tax-free, stock-for-stock transaction with Central and South West Corp., a public utility holding company based in Dallas.