FORT WAYNE, Ind., March 26, 2013 – Indiana Michigan Power (I&M), an operating unit of American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP), will conduct helicopter aerial inspections of its high-voltage lines throughout April as part of its ongoing program to maintain the reliability of the electric transmission system.  The flights will inspect transmission lines in and around Fort Wayne, South Bend, and Muncie, IN, as well as in areas within Ohio and Michigan.

The approximate inspection dates are:

I&M will use a Bell Jet Ranger helicopter with a burgundy/white color scheme and silver stripes (tail number N54DE).  It will fly about 50-100 feet above the lines at a speed of 40 – 45 mph, covering about 350 miles each day. During inspections, the helicopter may need to circle a single structure/area several times to check the condition of electrical equipment.

Flights will be completed between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Weather delays could alter flight schedules by a day or two in each area.

Customers with questions or concerns about aerial inspections should contact I&M at    1-800-311-4634 (Indiana) or 1-800-311-6424 (Michigan).

 Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) is headquartered in Fort Wayne, and its 2,500 employees serve more than 582,000 customers. It operates 3,595 MW of coal-fired generation in Indiana, 2,110 MW of nuclear generation in Michigan and 22 MW of hydro generation in both states.  The company also provides its customers 250 MW of purchased wind generation.

 I&M is a unit of American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP), 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 39,000 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.