AEP Names Beasley To Board Of Directors

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Feb 25, 2014, 09:43 ET

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- J. Barnie Beasley Jr., former chairman, president and chief executive officer of Southern Nuclear Operating Co., a subsidiary of Southern Co., has been elected to the American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) Board of Directors.

Beasley, 62, was named president and chief executive officer of Southern Nuclear Operating Co. in 2004 and added the title of chairman in 2005 until his retirement in 2008. Previously, he served as executive vice president and chief nuclear officer for Southern Nuclear Operating Co. and was site vice president at Vogtle and Farley nuclear plants. Before joining Southern Nuclear Operating Co. in 1997, he worked in various management roles in nuclear power at Georgia Power Co.

"Barnie brings to our board extensive nuclear operations and management experience, as well as a deep understanding of the regulated utility business," said Nicholas K. Akins, AEP chairman, president and chief executive officer. "His nuclear operations expertise and insights into our industry will be valuable contributions to our board."

Beasley currently serves as an advisor to the board of the Tennessee Valley Authority. He previously was a member of the board of directors of EnergySolutions, an environmental services business, and a member of the National Nuclear Accrediting Board. He also previously served on the board of directors and several committees for the Nuclear Energy Institute. Beasley has a bachelor's degree in engineering from the University of Georgia.

American Electric Power is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to more than 5.3 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 40,000-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.