AEP’s commitment to the environment involves restoring and protecting resources
not only for their ecological benefit, but also to make available outdoor recreation
opportunities for its customers and neighbors. Blessed with an abundance of land
and water, AEP has developed and is pleased to offer an array of outdoor recreation
venues to the public.
AEP’s 17 hydroelectric
facilities in Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and Michigan generate
more than 800 megawatts of electricity. The company publishes
hourly information on water levels and flows for water recreation enthusiasts.
One of American Electric Power's best-known symbols of environmental stewardship
is the company's 42,000-acre reclamation project known as
ReCreation Land. This award-winning project has been built on land that
was once strip mined for its rich coal deposits. Through vigorous reclamation efforts,
which include planting 63 million trees and creating more than 350 lakes and ponds
and nearly 380 campsites, AEP has turned this former mining territory into a vibrant
outdoor recreation area.
The Wilds was opened to the
public in 1994 and spans nearly 10,000 acres of reclaimed, surface-mined land--a
gift from American Electric Power. Thousands of acres have been developed and divided
into large sections where African, Asian, and North American species are managed.
