8.31.2002 ET

(CSRwire) JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) presented an award for an e7 renewable energy project in Indonesia to e7 chairman E. Linn Draper Jr., who is chairman, president and chief executive officer of American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP).

Presentation of 2002 World Summit Business Awards for Sustainable Development Partnerships took place as part of the World Summit on Sustainable Development. AEP is the U.S. representative to e7, an alliance of nine energy companies from the G7 nations that collectively promote sustainable energy development.

Developed during 1997-2001, e7´s Indonesian rural electrification project involves 200 small solar home installations, four micro-hydroelectric plants and one solar-wind hybrid system that generate one million kilowatthours a year to supply electricity to more than 4,000 villagers who are not connected to an electric grid.

"The Indonesia project is a marriage of renewable power production and local commitment. Local support is critical. It´s what determines the future sustainability of these kinds of projects," Draper said. "This project fulfills several e7 objectives. It brings energy technologies to an isolated population off the grid and cut off from the benefits of electricity, such as telecommunications and modern health care.

"These solar and hydroelectric installations also will avoid the emission of more than 30,000 tons of carbon dioxide - a greenhouse gas linked to climate change - that would be released from fossil fuels producing comparable electricity over the life of these installations. Education and training further enable local inhabitants to manage the electric power systems independently. But first they must take ´ownership´ and embrace the project as theirs."

Since its founding in 1992 as an international forum for leading electricity companies from G7 nations on sustainable energy development, e7 has launched nearly 50 activities in nearly two dozen countries. Notable projects in the late 1990s include helping Jordan’s Central Electricity Generating Co. operate its thermal power plants more efficiently and consulting with Thailand’s environmental agencies to improve their management practices. As a result of improvements in performance, systems and equipment, Jordanian plants reduced emissions of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Technical assistance was provided to Thai officials in data management, air quality modeling, utilization of solar energy, ash usage and laboratory design.

Also in conjunction with the Summit, an AEP joint project in Bolivia was selected as one of 32 finalists (out of 120 submissions from 37 countries) for an ICC/UNEP World Summit Business Award for Sustainable Development Partnerships. The Noel Kempff Mercado Climate Action Project, a 1997 joint project of AEP, the government of Bolivia, the Friends of Nature Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, PacifiCorp and BP America, is the largest forest-based carbon project in the world. The project protects more than 3.7 million acres in northeastern Bolivia from logging for 30 years.

e7 members include AEP (U.S.), Electricité de France (France), Enel (Italy), Hydro-Quebec (Canada), Kansai Electric Power (Japan), Ontario Power Generation (Canada), RWE (Germany), Scottish Power (UK) and Tokyo Electric Power Generation (Japan). It is the mission of e7 to play an active role in global electricity issues and promote sustainable energy development. For further information, visit www.e7.org.

The World Summit on Sustainable Development is a 10-day (Aug. 26 - Sept. 4) international forum for government leaders and national delegates from private organizations, businesses and other groups to discuss conservation of natural resources while meeting growing global demands for food, water, shelter, energy and other needs. The summit takes place on the 10th anniversary of the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A key purpose of the Summit is to set targets to accomplish sustainable development goals adopted 10 years ago. The United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development organized the summit. More information can be found at http://www.johannesburgsummit.org.

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.

For information about e7, contact Secretariat, e7 Network of Expertise for the Global Environment, 1155 Metcalfe St., Montreal, Canada H3B 2V6, at 001-514-392-8876, fax 001-514-392-8900.

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