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COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Minority Engineer magazine has named American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) one of the nation's top 50 private-sector employers.

AEP, which ranks 27th on the publication's annual list, is the only central Ohio-based employer and one of only two electric utilities recognized.

"We appreciate this recognition from Minority Engineer magazine," said Mary Cofer, director of diversity and culture for AEP. "Many of our engineers are members of minority groups, and we target minorities in our engineer recruiting efforts."

The rankings are based on responses from Minority Engineer readers, who were asked to name the top three companies or government agencies for which they would most like to work or that they believe would provide a positive environment for members of minority groups.

The publication, owned by Equal Opportunity Publications Inc., is distributed to student, entry-level and professional minority engineers nationwide.

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 more than 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.