COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 25, 2000 -- American Electric Power (NYSE:AEP) is sending 78 two-man crews, 18 supervisors and four transportation mechanics to North and South Carolina to assist Duke Power in restoring electric power to its customers. AEP crews traveling to the Carolinas today will begin replacing downed power lines and other restoration efforts on Wednesday. The crews are leaving from the southern and eastern Ohio region, eastern Kentucky, southern Virginia and parts of West Virginia. Winter storms in the Carolinas today and Saturday knocked out power to Duke Power customers from Greenwood, S.C., to Durham, N.C. As of 4 p.m. today, Duke Power said 118,000 customers were without electricity. AEP, a global energy company, is one of the United States' largest investor-owned utilities, providing energy to 3 million customers in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. AEP has holdings in the United States, the United Kingdom, China and Australia. Wholly owned subsidiaries provide power engineering, energy consulting and energy management services around the world. The company is based in Columbus, Ohio. On Dec. 22, 1997, AEP announced a definitive merger agreement for a tax-free, stock-for-stock transaction with Central and South West Corp., a public utility holding company based in Dallas.