GAHANNA, Ohio (August 6, 2024) — AEP Ohio, an American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) company, wants customers to stay safe when they’re working outside. We’re marking August 11 — or 8/11 — by sharing the reminder to notify OHIO811 before doing any digging.
Notifying 811 at least 48 hours (excluding weekends and legal holidays) before starting to dig begins the free process of getting underground utility lines marked. Once notified, OHIO811 alerts its member utilities, including AEP Ohio, who will mark their own lines or use a locating service to mark them.
Striking underground lines can cause serious or fatal injuries, power outages and costly repairs. The location and depth of utility lines can vary due to erosion, uneven surfaces and previous digging projects, so it's important to notify OHIO811 before every dig project.
“There’s a risk of striking an underground utility line even when digging just a few inches. From installing a mailbox to planting a garden, every project that involves digging warrants a call to 811,” said Ryan Knapp, Ohio Region director of safety and health for American Electric Power. “We want to keep customers and their families safe as they work on outdoor projects.”
Customers can submit dig notifications by calling 811, online at OHIO811.org/eDig or on the OHIO811 mobile app.
For more safety tips and resources, visit AEPOhio.com/Safety and OHIO811.org.
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About AEP Ohio
AEP Ohio is based in Gahanna, Ohio, and is a unit of American Electric Power. AEP Ohio provides electricity to 1.5 million customers. News and information about AEP Ohio can be found at AEPOhio.com.
At American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, we understand that our customers and communities depend on safe, reliable and affordable power. Our nearly 16,000 employees operate and maintain more than 40,000 miles of transmission lines, the nation's largest electric transmission system, and more than 225,000 miles of distribution lines to deliver power to 5.6 million customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation's largest electricity producers with approximately 29,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including nearly 6,000 megawatts of renewable energy. AEP is investing $43 billion over the next five years to make the electric grid cleaner and more reliable. We are on track to reach an 80% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from 2005 levels by 2030 and have a goal to achieve net zero by 2045. AEP is recognized consistently for its focus on sustainability, community engagement and inclusion. AEP's family of companies includes utilities 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, east Texas and the Texas Panhandle). AEP also owns AEP Energy, which provides innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide. For more information, visit aep.com.