COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 3, 2004 - American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) has named Coulter R. (Dick) Boyle senior vice president - commercial operations and Dale E. Heydlauff to a new position as senior vice president - distribution and customer operations. Both positions are effective immediately.

Boyle’s focus will be capturing and sustaining value from AEP’s utility generation fleet, including oversight of AEP’s marketing and energy trading activities; fuel procurement, transportation and handling; and fleet optimization activities designed to improve efficiency and minimize production costs. Boyle succeeds Holly Koeppel, who was recently named executive vice president - AEP Utilities-East.

Heydlauff will oversee AEP’s centralized distribution and customer service functions, including distribution asset management, distribution dispatch and outage management, distribution engineering standards, customer information systems, meter systems and services, customer billing and credit, call centers, national customer accounts and economic development support.

“Both Dick and Dale bring demonstrated talent and valuable skills to their new positions,” said Michael G. Morris, AEP chairman, president and CEO. “Dick’s experience in the utility business, the policy arena and in our commercial group will help us continue to maximize the value of our vast generation fleet.

“The leadership that Dale has demonstrated in heading our governmental and environmental affairs efforts will be critical as he takes on the responsibility of ensuring that the work of our centralized distribution and customer operations groups supports the customer-service goals of our regional utility divisions.”

Boyle, 56, has been AEP’s senior vice president-commercial business services since May 2003. Boyle joined Columbus & Southern Ohio Electric Co. in 1970 (a company that was later acquired by AEP) and held positions in audit, financial planning and financial reporting. He transferred to Kentucky Power Co., another AEP operating company, in 1981 as accounting manager. Boyle was named vice president - accounting, rates and finance at Kentucky Power in 1987 and was named Kentucky Power president and chief operating officer in 1990. He was named AEP’s Indiana Michigan state president in 1996 and AEP vice president - regulatory services in 1999.

Boyle earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Ohio University and a master’s of business administration degree from Xavier University. He also completed the executive development program at the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Virginia. Boyle is a certified public accountant.

Heydlauff, 46, has been AEP’s senior vice president - governmental and environmental affairs since 2002. Heydlauff joined AEP in 1988 as director - federal affairs in AEP’s Washington office. After three years in Washington, he was promoted to vice president - environmental affairs. Heydlauff was promoted to senior vice-president - environmental affairs in 2000.

Before joining AEP, Heydlauff spent 10 years in government affairs, including work with General Motors Corp. from 1978 to 1980. He served as legislative assistant for former Congressman Carl D. Pursell (R-MI) from 1980 to 1982, as the deputy director of the State of Illinois Washington Office for former Gov. James R. Thompson (R-IL) from 1982 to 1984, and worked in private practice for two separate Washington law firms (Craft & Richards and Van Ness, Feldman, Sutcliffe & Curtis) from 1985 to 1988 specializing in energy, environmental, transportation and tax issues.

Heydlauff received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Eastern Michigan University and completed an executive master’s of business administration course at the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Virginia.

He serves as senior vice president - properties for the Simon Kenton Council, Boy Scouts of America, and president of the Upper Arlington High School Vocal Music Boosters Association.

American Electric Power owns and operates more than 42,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the United States and select international markets and is the largest electricity generator in the U.S. 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.