COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 24, 2010 – For the fourth consecutive year, American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) has been named one of the most "adoption-friendly workplaces" by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.

AEP reimburses employees up to $3,000 per child for eligible adoption-related expenses and provides up to 40 hours of paid leave for new adoptive parents. Since early 2007, 45 employees have benefited from AEP’s adoption assistance program.

"The adoption assistance program is a great example of AEP’s commitment to providing family-oriented programs. We recognize the positive impact that adoption can have on our employees, the community, and most importantly, the lives of children," said Joe Cisneros, AEP’s director of diversity and culture. "It is an honor to receive the Dave Thomas Foundation award for the fourth straight year."

Information from nearly 500 employers nationwide was used to compile the foundation’s annual rankings of adoption-friendly workplaces. The rankings are based on the maximum amount of financial reimbursement and paid leave per adoption.

In addition to AEP, the top five energy/utility companies for 2010 include BHP Billiton, Chesapeake Energy Corporation, PJM Interconnection and Marathon Oil.

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is a non-profit, public charity dedicated to dramatically increasing adoptions of the more than 150,000 children in North America’s foster care systems. The late Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s Restaurants and an adopted child, created the foundation in 1992. More information is available at www.davethomasfoundation.org.

American Electric Power is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to more than 5 million customers in 11 states. AEP ranks among the nation’s largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. AEP also owns the nation’s largest electricity transmission system, a nearly 39,000-mile network that includes more 765-kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined. AEP’s transmission system directly or indirectly serves about 10 percent of the electricity demand in the Eastern Interconnection, the interconnected transmission system that covers 38 eastern and central U.S. states and eastern Canada, and approximately 11 percent of the electricity demand in ERCOT, the transmission system that covers much of Texas. 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.