AEP Releases Revised Cook Restart Schedule, Unit 1 Restart Date Now First Quarter 1999

Sept. 17, 1998•News Release

BRIDGMAN, Mich., Sept. 17, 1998 -- An updated restart schedule now shows American Electric Power's (NYSE:AEP) Cook Nuclear Plant Unit 1 is expected to return to service by the end of first quarter 1999. Previously, Unit 1 was projected to start by the end of 1998. Unit 2 restart should follow Unit 1 by approximately 90 days. The new date is primarily due to a change in the sequencing of repairs and spare parts needs for the ice condenser system, more detailed information about the issues requiring resolution prior to restart and better scheduling information developed from detailed individual job planning. Plant officials shut down both units in September 1997 because of questions raised during a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) design inspection. AEP has implemented a restart plan to identify and address conditions necessary to the safe restart and operation of the units. Inspection and repair of the plant's ice condenser systems is the longest known path to restart. The ice condensers, which hold 2.5 million pounds of ice in 1,944 cylindrical baskets in each unit, would be used to reduce pressure in the containment building and supply long-term cooling water in the event of an accident. The previous schedule called for the reloading of ice into some of the baskets to begin before basket inspection and repairs were completed. Now, basket inspections and repairs will be completed prior to ice reload. This increases the schedule duration by about four weeks. "Our focus has become much more detailed as we work through the restart schedule," said Robert Powers, AEP senior vice president -- nuclear generation. "The big-picture items are now divided into specific activities that we can address in detail. It is this identification and resolution process that will result in our determination that relevant safety concerns have been addressed and we are ready to restart." Finally, more accurate schedule information is now available as detailed planning for individual jobs is completed. Integration of specific resource demands into the schedule pushes the work completion date into early February. This will be followed by a four- to six-week unit start-up period before the unit is returned to service. Monthly restart meetings are being held with the NRC to discuss plant restart plans and activities. These public meetings are part of the NRC’s formal restart process. The NRC will be reviewing and evaluating work at the plant throughout the restart process. AEP currently projects restart activities would increase the plant's budget by approximately $50 million. 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: William Schalk Communications Manager American Electric Power Cook Nuclear Plant 616/465-6101

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