AEP Energy Services Opens Houston Office

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 19, 1998 – AEP Energy Services has established a natural gas and electricity trading and marketing office in Houston. The office, which opened today, will be active in Texas and western U.S. energy markets. AEP Energy Services, a subsidiary of American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP), markets and trades energy commodities and provides related services. "It's AEP Energy Services' goal to be a top tier energy trader," said Steven J. Lewis, senior vice president of energy services. "By opening an office in Houston, we are putting a trading floor and our western region traders closer to the action. Adding this trading floor to the one we have in Columbus places us a step closer to our goal." Lewis, who joined AEP Energy Services in November after 17 years with Louis Dreyfus Corp., will head the Houston office. In the beginning, the Houston staff will include four power traders and three gas traders. "We are starting with a basic staffing structure and will build on that as needed," Lewis said. The office is located at 5718 Westheimer, Suite 1660. AEP, a global energy company, is one of the United States' largest investor-owned utilities, providing energy to 2.9 million customers in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky. AEP has holdings in the United States, the United Kingdom and China. Wholly owned subsidiaries provide power engineering, consulting and management services around the world. The company is based in Columbus, Ohio.