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AEP completes sale of Louisiana gas pipeline assets

April 1, 2004

COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 1, 2004 - American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) today announced that it has completed the $76.2 million sale of LIG Pipeline Co. and its subsidiaries to Crosstex Energy, L.P., through its subsidiary, Crosstex Louisiana Energy, L.P.

The companies announced the transaction on Feb. 17.

The LIG transaction is part of AEP´s divestiture of assets that don´t align with the company´s long-term strategy. Proceeds from the sale will be used to reduce debt and strengthen the balance sheet. The sale of LIG is not expected to have a material impact on 2004 GAAP earnings.

The sale includes approximately 2,000 miles of natural gas gathering and transmission pipelines in Louisiana and five gas processing facilities that straddle the system.

AEP continues progress on the planned divestiture of Jefferson Island Storage and Hub L.L.C., which was acquired with the LIG assets by AEP in 1998 but will be sold separately. Jefferson Island Storage and Hub consists of two salt dome gas storage caverns, with approximately 9 million MMBtu of storage capacity, and two 16-inch header pipelines.

American Electric Power owns and operates more than 42,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the United States and select international markets and is the largest electricity generator in the U.S. AEP is also one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, with more than 5 million customers linked to AEP’s 11-state electricity transmission and distribution grid. The company is based in Columbus, Ohio.

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These reports made by AEP and its registrant subsidiaries contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Although AEP and its registrant subsidiaries believe that their expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, any such statements may be influenced by factors that could cause actual outcomes and results to be materially different from those projected. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are: electric load and customer growth; weather conditions; available sources and costs of fuels; availability of generating capacity and the performance of AEP’s generating plants; the ability to recover regulatory assets and stranded costs in connection with deregulation; new legislation and government regulation including requirements for reduced emissions of sulfur, nitrogen, carbon and other substances; resolution of pending and future rate cases, negotiations and other regulatory decisions (including rate or other recovery for environmental compliance); oversight and/or investigation of the energy sector or its participants; resolution of litigation (including pending Clean Air Act enforcement actions and disputes arising from the bankruptcy of Enron Corp.); AEP’s ability to reduce its operation and maintenance costs; the success of disposing of investments that no longer match AEP’s corporate profile; AEP’s ability to sell assets at attractive prices and on other attractive terms; international and country-specific developments affecting foreign investments including the disposition of any current foreign investments; the economic climate and growth in AEP’s service territory and changes in market demand and demographic patterns; inflationary trends; AEP’s ability to develop and execute on a point of view regarding prices of electricity, natural gas, and other energy-related commodities; changes in the creditworthiness and number of participants in the energy trading market; changes in the financial markets, particularly those affecting the availability of capital and AEP’s ability to refinance existing debt at attractive rates; actions of rating agencies, including changes in the ratings of debt and preferred stock; volatility and changes in markets for electricity, natural gas, and other energy-related commodities; changes in utility regulation, including the establishment of a regional transmission structure; accounting pronouncements periodically issued by accounting standard-setting bodies; the performance of AEP’s pension plan; prices for power that AEP generates and sells at wholesale; and changes in technology and other risks and unforeseen events, including wars, the effects of terrorism (including increased security costs), embargoes and other catastrophic events.

Contact:
Pat D. Hemlepp
Director, Corporate Media Relations
614/716-1620

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