F EATURED S TORIES

Jason Garza knew early on that he’d made the right choice in making AEP his next stop after leaving the military. He’s also quick to point out another good call that made all the difference in his new career. Before he decided where he was going, he settled on how he’d get there. For Garza, a 20-year Air Force veteran and now a transmission field services station electrician based in Abilene, Texas, the answer was SkillBridge, a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) initiative that helps veterans transition to new careers post-service.

The key to fighting a fire is prevention. October is National Fire Prevention Month. At the D.C. Cook Nuclear Plant in Bridgman, Mich., fire prevention is maintained 24/7 thanks to the Fire Protection Department. 

Three Rivers Community Schools in Michigan and its two electric school buses are charged up for another school year. The school district is starting its fourth year transporting students with electric school buses using charging infrastructure developed in partnership with I&M.

A smart solution developed by Indiana Michigan Power's Luke Federspiel is helping make a routine substation maintenance task safer, easier and more cost effective.

“Empower the community to build wealth” is the mission on which Adelphi Bank was founded. In April, the bank opened to support Franklin County residents who have been underserved to help them reach financial stability.

American Electric Power’s efforts to bring growth and opportunity to the communities we serve is paying off in the nation’s heartland where Public Service Company of Oklahoma played a major role in the biggest economic development project in Oklahoma history.

A group of AEP volunteers helped vulnerable homeowners during Modcon Living's recent Rebuilding a Healthy Neighborhood event.

Cory Gates, a line crew supervisor in Lancaster who has been with AEP Ohio for 16 years, said he isn’t a very emotional person. But he nearly broke down in tears when he was surprised by the kindness of his fellow lineworkers.

AEP Texas Service Mechanic Roman Tambunga was maneuvering his bucket truck out of an Ozona neighborhood when he saw smoke coming out of a home. His response helped ensure the resident and his pets safely exited the home before it was engulfed in flames. He also helped the volunteer fire department fight the fire. 

When faced with an emergency situation, people have a “fight or flight” response that instinctively kicks in. No one quite knows for sure how they will react until it happens. For the line department at Columbus Southwest, that answer is now apparent: fight.