COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 26, 2005 - The Board of Directors of American Electric Power Co. (NYSE: AEP) today declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of 35 cents a share on the company’s common stock.

The dividend is payable March 10, 2005, to shareholders of record as of Feb. 10, 2005, and is the company’s 379th consecutive quarterly common stock cash dividend. AEP has paid a cash dividend on its common stock every quarter since July 1910.

American Electric Power owns more than 36,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the United States and is the nation’s largest electricity generator. 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.