COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 13, 2002 - American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) submitted its Certification of Financial Statements today to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The certifications, signed by E. Linn Draper Jr., AEP chairman, president and chief executive officer, and Susan Tomasky, executive vice president and chief financial officer, verify the accuracy of AEP’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year 2001, the company´s Form 10-Qs for the first and second quarters of 2002, and Form 8-Ks filed during 2002 since the filing of the Form 10-K.

The SEC issued an order on June 27 requiring sworn statements by chief executive officers and chief financial officers from 947 large publicly traded companies that 2002 SEC reports contain no material misstatement.

Draper and Tomasky also submitted written statements to the SEC verifying the accuracy of AEP’s second quarter 2002 Form 10-Q in accordance with the requirements of the recently passed Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

Copies of the certification documents will be available on AEP’s web site. From the front page, select "Investors," then select "SEC/Regulatory Filings."

American Electric Power is a multinational energy company with a balanced portfolio of energy assets. AEP, the United States’ largest electricity generator, owns and operates more than 42,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. and select international markets. AEP is a leading wholesale energy marketer, ranking among North America’s top providers of wholesale power and natural gas with a growing wholesale presence in European markets. In addition to electricity generation, AEP owns and operates natural gas pipeline systems, natural gas storage, coal mines, and the fourth-largest inland barge company in the U.S. AEP is also one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, with almost 5 million customers linked to AEP’s wires. The company is based in Columbus, Ohio.