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Study Names I&M 2016 Utility Customer Champion

Market Strategies International named Indiana Michigan Power a 2016 Utility Customer Champion for its strong relationship with residential customers.

I&M, an operating unit of American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP), was one of just three Midwest electric only utilities to receive the honor.

“We are happy to designate Indiana Michigan Power as a 2016 Customer Champion. Their customers have said they have strong and trusted relationships with this company,” said Chris Oberle, senior vice president, Market Strategies International. “Specifically, I&M has improved customer scoring on environmental dedication, product education, safety, reliability and communications. So, they are now among the utility industry’s best customer brands.”

"I&M is truly honored to be presented with this award,” said Paul Chodak III, I&M president and chief operating officer. “Our I&M team strives to responsibly serve our customers with safe, reliable, affordable power and to enhance the service we provide our customers.”

Market Strategies International is a top, worldwide market research firm. The research firm’s Utility Trusted Brand and Customer Engagement: Residential study examined 130 of the nation’s largest electric and natural gas utilities to gauge their relationships with residential customers.

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’s generation portfolio also includes 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 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. 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.