COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 13, 2011 – American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) announced today that Susan Tomasky, president – AEP Transmission, will retire from the company, effective July 31, to pursue other professional opportunities.

“American Electric Power has benefited enormously from Susan’s leadership in several executive positions since she joined the company in 1998 as senior vice president and general counsel,” said Michael G. Morris, AEP’s chairman and chief executive officer. “Her skillful guidance of our transmission business ventures and operations over the past three and a half years has positioned the company well to realize attractive financial performance in the future. I know Susan will enjoy continued success as she begins a new chapter in her life.”

Prior to her current position, Tomasky served as executive vice president – Shared Services for one year and executive vice president and chief financial officer for six years. She was executive vice president and general counsel from 2000 to 2001 and senior vice president and general counsel from 1998 to 2000.

“In every role she has played in the company, Susan has distinguished herself and brought credit to AEP,” said Nick Akins, AEP president. “We will miss her leadership and wish her all the best in the future.”

“I am grateful for the extraordinary opportunities AEP has provided me over the last 13 years to contribute to this company, this industry and our communities. I am particularly pleased to see the progress we’ve made in developing AEP’s emerging transmission business and look forward to watching its future success,” Tomasky said.

Tomasky is a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and the Tesoro Corporation. She is also a member of the boards of the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, the Columbus School for Girls, and the Mount Carmel Health Systems. Tomasky and her family plan to remain in Columbus.

A replacement for Tomasky will be named in the near future.

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.