FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AEP OHIO PRESENTS ENERGY EFFICIENCY INCENTIVE TO NEW PHILADELPHIA CITY SCHOOLS

Check presented for energy efficiency improvements made by the school district

NEW PHILADELPHIA, Ohio Sept. 19, 2011—AEP Ohio, a unit of American Electric Power (NYSE:AEP), presented a check in the amount of $74,010.58 to Superintendant of New Philadelphia City Schools, Bob Alsept  for the district’s participation  in AEP Ohio’s energy efficiency/peak demand response programs for businesses..         

Pictured left to right accepting the check from AEP Ohio are:
Gary Enama, AEP Ohio, DSM/EE coordinator
Chris Weaver, New Philadelphia City Schools Board of Education
Steve Jenkins, New Philadelphia City Schools Board of Education
Bob Alsept, Superintendent, New Philadelphia City Schools
Dave Heck, AEP Ohio, customer service account representative

The check was presented at East Elementary School during the school board meeting. At the meeting, Gary Enama, AEP Ohio energy efficiency and peak demand response  program coordinator and Dave Heck, AEP Ohio customer services account representative commended the focused effort by the schools to complete the improvements. “AEP Ohio is pleased to offer this check to New Philadelphia City Schools for their efforts to make their buildings more energy efficient.” said Enama. “Saving money is only one part of the equation. Reducing emissions, through increased efficiencies also helps to protect the environment for future generations.”

The school district’s energy efficiency upgrade project included all of  elementary schools and the high/middle school complex. The project focused on converting less efficient T-12 fluorescent and metal halide lighting with high efficiency T-8 and T-5 fluorescent fixtures. In addition, high efficiency LED exit signs were installed replacing outdated incandescent signs and occupancy sensors were installed to automatically turn lighting off when not in use. By upgrading and installing energy efficient  lighting  throughout their district they have reduced their annual energy consumption by 1.1 gWh.  Their annual energy savings represents enough electricity to power approximately 100 homes for a year.

New Philadelphia City Schools Superintendant, Bob Alsept accepted the check from AEP Ohio on behalf of the school district. "We are very appreciative of this check from AEP Ohio. They have been great partners throughout this process. We hope to increase our energy efficiency with this money. AEP Ohio is truly giving back to the New Philadelphia City Schools community!" said Alsept.

AEP Ohio has been offering business customers incentives for participating in energy efficiency and peak demand reduction projects for implementing industrial process and improvement technologies that reduce energy consumption since the programs began in 2009. AEP Ohio offers these programs as part of the gridSMART ^® initiative to help residential and commercial customers use less energy manage their bills and protect the environment. These programs provide incentives to help business customers purchase and install energy efficiency equipment. The incentives can then be used to reinvest in additional or future energy efficiency projects. Prescriptive incentives are available for common commercial and industrial measures including lighting, HVAC, motors and drives, refrigeration, and food preparation and storage equipment. Custom incentives are available for process improvements and other measures not covered through prescriptive incentives. For more information about all of AEP Ohio’s energy efficiency programs, visit gridSMARTOhio.com.

AEP Ohio provides electricity to nearly 1.5 million customers of major AEP subsidiaries Columbus Southern Power Company and Ohio Power Company in Ohio, and Wheeling Power Company in the northern panhandle of West Virginia. AEP Ohio is based in Gahanna, Ohio, and is a unit of American Electric Power. News and information about AEP Ohio can be found at aepohio.com.

American Electric Power is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to more than 5 million customers in 11 states. AEP ranks among the nation’s largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. AEP also owns the nation’s largest electricity transmission system, a nearly 39,000-mile network that includes more 765-kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined. AEP’s transmission system directly or indirectly serves about 10 percent of the electricity demand in the Eastern Interconnection, the interconnected transmission system that covers 38 eastern and central U.S. states and eastern Canada, and approximately 11 percent of the electricity demand in ERCOT, the transmission system that covers much of Texas. AEP’s utility units operate as AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana and east Texas). AEP’s headquarters are in Columbus, Ohio.

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