AEP Releases 2019 Corporate Accountability Report

COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) has issued its 2019 Corporate Accountability Report, an annual assessment of its performance as a public company and a community partner. This is the 13th year AEP has released the report, which details its developments in energy and technology, social responsibility, community investments and environmental stewardship.

The report's theme, "Innovating for a Boundless Energy Future," mirrors AEP's efforts to embrace technology and digitization to deliver clean, reliable energy to its customers and value to its shareholders, while also being a positive force in the communities it serves.

"At AEP, we see a future full of opportunities for our customers, employees, investors, communities and our company. To create this future, we must be increasingly innovative to develop cutting-edge solutions to complex problems. We must be agile and adaptable to leverage rapid, sometimes unpredictable, changes in technology. And we must nurture a diverse and engaged workforce that is clearly focused on delivering 21st century customer service as we further electrify our economy," said Nicholas K. Akins, AEP chairman, president and chief executive officer, in the report's introduction.

Four key principles of the company's sustainable development strategy – being a catalyst for change; supporting environmental stewardship; supporting strong local communities; and building a brighter energy future together with its customers – guide AEP as the company creates benchmarks and goals. Some highlights and achievements detailed in the report include:

• Continued efforts to reduce carbon emissions, add renewable resources into AEP's energy portfolio and invest in a smarter, more modern power grid to achieve a cleaner energy future
• The deployment of more than 100 electric vehicle charging ports at AEP facilities – one of the largest workplace installations in the nation – to support electrification and reduce the company's environmental footprint
• The opening of a Social Media Center staffed by customer care agents and corporate communications staff who interact with customers seven days a week to forge relationships with customers while enhancing their experience
• The creation of Charge, an AEP digital hub that incubates and develops projects with potential to deliver value to customers and the company, to encourage continued innovation
• The formation of the 2025 Diversity and Inclusion Roadmap and the appointment of a Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer to cultivate a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture

To view the 2019 Corporate Accountability Report and learn more about AEP's sustainable development strategy, visit www.aepsustainability.com.

American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, is focused on building a smarter energy infrastructure and delivering new technologies and custom energy solutions to our customers. AEP's approximately 18,000 employees operate and maintain the nation's largest electricity transmission system and nearly 220,000 miles of distribution lines to efficiently deliver safe, reliable power to nearly 5.4 million regulated customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation's largest electricity producers with approximately 32,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including more than 5,000 megawatts of renewable energy. AEP's family of companies includes utilities 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, east Texas and the Texas Panhandle). AEP also owns AEP Energy, AEP Energy Partners, AEP OnSite Partners, and AEP Renewables, which provide innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide.

SOURCE American Electric Power