F EATURED S TORIES

How employees scrambled to feed an army of lineworkers during Helene restoration.

AEP celebrates Power Plant Employee Appreciation Day to recognize employees who support generating electricity.

After serving in the United States Army for four years, Calvin Arent returned home to Eau Claire, Mich. He was looking for a place where he could use his skills attained in the Army to flourish in a career.

“Lucky for me, I found a career working at I&M and serving my community providing power to homes and businesses,” Arent said. “My skills I used everyday serving our country – from teamwork to communication to problem solving -- I now use as a line worker.”

The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) has awarded AEP/Appalachian Power its prestigious Emergency Response Award. Presented to EEI member companies twice a year, the Emergency Response Award recognizes recovery and assistance efforts by electric companies following service disruptions caused by extreme weather or other natural events.

Last year, AEP Ohio employees drove more than 14 million miles. During that time, they encountered many hazards: distracted drivers, wild animals, pedestrians and even children playing in the street.

A routine day for a lineworker can involve replacing and inspecting power poles and power lines, upgrading electrical equipment or streetlights and setting up service for new customers. That’s if they aren’t responding to service or emergency calls. This is where Elkhart Line Servicer Nate Prenkert helps.

Economic development is a team sport across our footprint.

All across our service territory, engineers on our team are working to support the safe, reliable flow of power to our customers. To celebrate Engineers Week, we asked them about what led them to engineering and the ways their work supports our customers. Their expertise and creativity enable us to provide our customers with safer, more reliable power, making way for a brighter energy future.

Nucor’s plan to build a state-of-the-art sheet steel mill in Mason County, W.Va., is moving forward. The company celebrated its $3.1 billion investment, the largest in Nucor’s history, with a groundbreaking for the record books.

Jason Garza knew early on that he’d made the right choice in making AEP his next stop after leaving the military. He’s also quick to point out another good call that made all the difference in his new career. Before he decided where he was going, he settled on how he’d get there. For Garza, a 20-year Air Force veteran and now a transmission field services station electrician based in Abilene, Texas, the answer was SkillBridge, a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) initiative that helps veterans transition to new careers post-service.