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AEP Emergency Disaster Relief Fund Contributes More Than $100,000 to Flood Relief Efforts in West Virginia

AEP Emergency Disaster Relief Fund Contributes More Than $100,000 to Flood Relief Efforts in West Virginia

Published 10-18-16

Submitted by AEP - American Electric Power

Approximately 175 Appalachian Power employees and family members served more than 1,500 meals to flood victims and relief workers.

Nearly two months after historic flooding devastated several small West Virginia communities, Appalachian Power leaders and employees presented the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army a $102,178 donation dedicated to flood relief efforts in those communities. The donation comprises $52,178 in personal contributions from more than 400 employees across AEP’s 11-state area and $50,000 in matching funds from the AEP Foundation. The funds will be split equally between the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army, and will be dedicated specifically to flood relief efforts in West Virginia.

Since inception of the AEP Emergency Disaster Relief Fund, the company and the Foundation have matched a little more than $568,000 in employee donations with a total of more than $1,136,000 in employee, corporate and Foundation relief donations.

During difficult times like this, AEP recognizes the important role it plays in supporting and reviving local communities. A financial donation is one of a number of ways the company and employees helped the flood-ravaged communities in West Virginia get back on their feet. Others include:

  • A $25,000 company donation announced just days after the flood;

  • A multi-area volunteer effort in which approximately 175 employees and family members served more than 1,500 meals to flood victims and relief workers, assisted residents and businesses with flood clean-up and answered customer questions about electrical service;

  • Waiving of security deposits and temporary service fees for customers impacted by flooding, as well as paying electrical inspection fees for more than 200 customers who needed an inspection before reconnection;

  • Donation of ground rods, ground wire and service entrance cable to the local IBEW flood relief efforts;

  • Providing information and assessing individual customer situations through door-to-door visits, information tents and a mobile office; and

  • Establishing a special toll-free hotline number for customers to call with flood-related service questions, staffed with specially-trained representatives.

The AEP Emergency Disaster Relief Matching Donation program has been matching employee giving since it began in December 2004 following the Indian Ocean tsunami. The AEP Foundation began matching donations in May 2013 after an intense and destructive tornado hit Moore, OK.  The Fund is currently collecting donations for relief efforts in the flooded areas of Louisiana.

Appalachian Power has 1 million customers in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee (as AEP Appalachian Power). It is a unit of American Electric Power, one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity and custom energy solutions to nearly 5.4 million customers 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 operates 223,000 miles of distribution lines.  AEP ranks among the nation’s largest generators of electricity, owning approximately 31,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S.

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AEP - American Electric Power

AEP - American Electric Power

American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, is focused on building a smarter energy infrastructure and delivering new technologies and custom energy solutions to our customers. AEP’s more than 17,000 employees operate and maintain the nation’s largest electricity transmission system and more than 219,000 miles of distribution lines to efficiently deliver safe, reliable power to nearly 5.4 million regulated customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation’s largest electricity producers with approximately 32,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including 4,300 megawatts of renewable energy. 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 and east Texas). AEP also owns AEP Energy, AEP Energy Partners, AEP OnSite Partners and AEP Renewables, which provide innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide.

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