Charleston, W.Va., August 9, 2007 – After setting a new unofficial summer peak demand for electricity on Tuesday afternoon, Appalachian Power customers and AEP Appalachian Power customers in Kingsport, Tenn., topped that peak on Wednesday.
 
At the hour ending 3 p.m. eastern standard time Wednesday Appalachian Power customers’ demand for electricity topped 6,681 megawatts (MW), up from Tuesday’s summer peak of 6,455 MW.   Appalachian Power customers set an all-time peak demand for electricity of 8,132 MW February 6, 2007. A megawatt is a measurement of electricity demand equal to one million watts.
 
“In just over a year, customers have set five records for electric consumption,” said Jeri Matheney, Appalachian Power corporate communications manager. “Electric energy improves our quality of life, productivity and safety. At the same time, we should all ensure that we are using the electricity that we are paying for wisely.”
 
For energy saving information or a free on-line home energy audit, go to Appalachian Power’s web site at www.AppalachianPower.com or visit the U.S. Department of Energy’s web site at www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/.
 
Appalachian Power has about 1 million customers in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee (as AEP Appalachian Power). It is a unit of American Electric Power, one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, which delivers 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.