Indiana Michigan Power : I&M Determines Final Line Route for Alexandria Area Iimprovements

January 11, 2016

ALEXANDRIA, Ind. - Indiana Michigan Power (I&M), an operating unit of American Electric Power, today announced the final line route for the Alexandria Area Improvements transmission project. The estimated $90 million investment reinforces the local system in Delaware, Madison and Tipton counties and ensures reliability for local customers. The project also delivers additional electric capacity to support the Alexandria Area Business Park.

The line routes were determined following a comprehensive study of the area and analysis of public comments, including those gathered during an open house on Nov. 12. Project representatives talked with attendees at the public event to gather community input regarding the proposed routes. I&M values community involvement and works to balance the need for reliable electric service while respecting people and the environment.

Key project components include:

• Constructing approximately 10 miles of new 69-kV transmission line
• Constructing approximately 15 miles of new 138-kV transmission line
• Upgrading approximately 6 miles of existing 34.5kV transmission line to 138-kV
• Upgrading approximately 4 miles of existing 34.5-kV transmission line to 69-kV
• Retiring approximately 30 miles of 34.5-kV transmission line
• Building two new substations (Aladdin and Makahoy)
• Retiring two existing substations (Alexandria and Mullin)

The project implements a modern design to boost reliability and reduce outages caused by aging infrastructure. Construction is estimated to start late summer 2016 and is projected to be completed around summer 2018.

Additional information about the project, including a map of the final line route can be found at www.IndianaMichiganPower.com/Alexandria.

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Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) is headquartered in Fort Wayne, and its 2,450 employees serve more than 589,000 customers. It operates 2,600 MW of coal-fired generation in Indiana, 2,160 MW of nuclear generation in Michigan and 22 MW of hydro generation in both states. The company also provides its customers 450 MW of purchased wind generation and, by the end of 2016, approximately 15 MW of large-scale solar generation.

American Electric Power is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to nearly 5.4 million customers through 223,000 miles of distribution lines in 11 states. AEP owns the nation's largest electricity transmission system, a more than 40,000-mile network that includes more 765-kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined. AEP also ranks among the nation's largest generators of electricity, owning approximately 32,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. 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.

Tracy Warner
Indiana Michigan Power Communications
[phone]
Cell: 260-479-9484
[e-mail]