SYSTEM TESTING DELAYS STARTUP OF COOK UNIT 2; STILL EXPECTED ONLINE FOR SUMMER DEMAND

Feb. 25, 2000•News Release

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 24, 2000 – American Electric Power (NYSE:AEP) said today that issues encountered during testing of equipment necessary for core reload and power operations of its Cook Unit 2 nuclear plant will cause a three-week delay in the planned April 1 restart. The testing process continues and may still encounter additional items that could extend the delay, the company said. “While we still may encounter additional issues as we continue our testing, we’re generally satisfied with the direction and pace of our restart effort,” said Bob Powers, AEP senior vice president - nuclear generation. “We don’t consider these to be extraordinary issues and we still fully expect Unit 2 to be online in time to meet summer demand.” System testing is one of the final steps necessary in preparing the Unit 2 reactor for refueling and operation. According to Powers, the cost of the delay is not expected to be significant unless more serious issues are encountered or the restart of Unit 1 is also delayed. The plant, located in Bridgman, Mich., has not operated since September 1997 because of questions raised during a design inspection by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. AEP had targeted April 1 as the restart date for Cook Unit 2. Unit 1 is targeted to return to service in September. “It is not unusual to encounter startup issues and associated limited schedule adjustments like these, especially in a plant that hasn’t operated in more than two years,” Powers said. The restart of the Cook units will return 2,100 megawatts of capacity to AEP’s system. As a result of the work being done, AEP expects the availability factor of the Cook plants to exceed 80 percent, compared to an availability of 60 percent before the shutdown. “We expect Cook to be a reliable producer of clean energy for years to come,” Powers said. “But above all, we are committed to operating the plant safely. It will not restart until we are certain we are ready.” AEP, a global energy company, is one of the United States' largest investor-owned utilities, providing energy to 3 million customers in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. AEP has holdings in the United States, the United Kingdom, China and Australia. Wholly owned subsidiaries provide power engineering, energy consulting and energy management services around the world. The company is based in Columbus, Ohio. On Dec. 22, 1997, AEP announced a definitive merger agreement for a tax-free, stock-for-stock transaction with Central and South West Corp., a public utility holding company based in Dallas.

For More Information, Contact: Media William Schalk Communications Manager Cook Nuclear Plant 616/465-6101 Analysts John S. Bilacic Manager, Investor Relations 614/223-2847

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