AEP Ohio Honored for its Storm Support

EEI’s Emergency Response Award recognizes AEP Ohio for helping in the devastating wake of Hurricane Ida

GAHANNA, Ohio, January 12, 2022 – AEP Ohio, an American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) company, has been honored by Edison Electric Institute (EEI) as one of its Emergency Response Award recipients.

Presented to EEI member companies, the Emergency Response Awards recognize the recovery and assistance efforts of electric companies following service disruptions caused by extreme weather or other natural events. The winners were chosen by a panel of judges following an international nomination process, and the awards were presented during EEI’s virtual winter Board of Directors meeting.

AEP Ohio provided out-of-state support for other AEP operating companies following several severe storms in 2021. This award specifically recognizes AEP Ohio for helping Entergy in the devastating wake of Ida, a Category 4 hurricane. AEP Ohio sent nearly 100 lineworkers and contract employees to Louisiana for 16 days in September – logging more than 50,000 man-hours in hot, humid, water-logged conditions – to help restore power after 150-mile-per-hour winds knocked out power to more than one million customers and caused $2.6 billion in damages.

“This year brought several significant storms and other extreme weather-related events that impacted many customers and communities across the nation,” said EEI President Tom Kuhn. “AEP Ohio and its employees worked around the clock following Hurricane Ida to ensure that power was restored safely and as quickly as possible. I applaud AEP Ohio and its employees for their unwavering dedication to the customers and to the communities they so proudly serve. I am honored to present them with this well-deserved award.”

According to Dave Callahan, AEP Ohio’s emergency preparedness manager, jumping in to lend a hand is hardwired into the DNA of AEP Ohio employees and their families.

“Our men and women are always willing to help others in times of need,” he said. “Even with the challenges COVID created, our crews didn’t hesitate to travel and assist those without power in Louisiana. We also want to recognize the employees who stayed behind to keep the lights on for our customers, and our families who provided much needed support throughout the deployment. It was a total team effort.”