COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 8, 2015 – Robert A. Osborne has been named vice president and chief operating officer of the Ohio Valley Electric Corporation (OVEC), effective July 18, according to Nicholas K. Akins, president of OVEC and chairman, president and chief executive officer of American Electric Power (AEP).

“Rob’s extensive experience in the generation business and his commitment to safety and operational excellence make him the ideal leader to ensure we can continue providing safe, reliable and affordable electricity to OVEC’s sponsoring companies,” Akins said.

Osborne will be responsible for all OVEC activities, including operation of 2,390 megawatts of coal-fueled generating capacity at Clifty Creek Station in Madison, Indiana, and Kyger Creek Station in Cheshire, Ohio; 705 circuit miles of 345-kilovolt transmission lines; and the corporation’s environmental and financial activities. He will succeed Mark Peifer, who is retiring.

Osborne has served as managing director of field and support services for AEP’s generation organization since 2007. He joined AEP in 1989 as a performance engineer at Clinch River Plant in Virginia and was named energy production manager at the plant in 1997. Osborne moved to Gavin Plant in Ohio as energy production manager in 2001 and became plant manager in 2003. He was named director of generation construction programs for AEP in 2006. Osborne holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Kentucky.

OVEC and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Indiana-Kentucky Electric Corporation, were organized in October 1952 by 15 sponsoring utilities. Parent companies of the sponsoring utilities are American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP), Buckeye Power, Inc., DPL, Inc. (NYSE: DPL), Duke Energy Corp. (NYSE: DUK), FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), PPL Corp. (NYSE: PPL), Vectren Corp. (NYSE: VVC) and Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative, Inc.