October 3, 2002

The Michigan Public Service Commission today granted AEP Ohio Commercial & Industrial Retail Company, L.L.C. a license as an alternative electric supplier to sell electric generation to Michigan retail customers.  An alternative electric supplier is a person selling electric generation service to retail customers in Michigan, other than a person who physically delivers electricity directly to retail customers.  The Commission concluded that AEP Ohio satisfied the statutory requirements to obtain a license as an alternative electric supplier under the Customer Choice and Electri­city Reliability Act of 2000.  The Commission has approved twenty one previous licenses under this Act.  The 2000 Act opened Michigan’s electricity market so that retail customers of the state’s investor-owned utilities could choose their supplier as of the first of January 2002.  AEP Ohio applied for a license on May 10, 2002.

The Commission found AEP Ohio’s application was in the public interest and that competition for electric service can be advantageous for Michigan citizens. The Commission concluded that approval of the alternative electric supplier license will expand the opportunities for competition.  The Commission approved the license conditioned on compliance with the applicable provisions of the Act and the Commission’s orders.  Failure to comply fully may result in revocation of the license or other penalties.  The Commission also granted the license conditioned upon the company’s provision of electric service within a reasonable time, indicating that failure to do so may result in revocation of the license.

Interested parties may obtain more information on Michigan’s alternative electric suppliers by accessing the MPSC Web site at:  http://www.michigan.gov/mpsc

AEP Ohio is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.

The MPSC is an agency within the Department of Consumer and Industry Services.

Case No. U-13548