COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 9, 1998 -- American Electric Power (NYSE:AEP) and some of its industrial customers are going to Brazil for South America's largest exhibition of medical products, equipment, instruments and services for hospitals and health clinics. Hospitalar '98 will be held June 17-20 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. AEP will help customers attend the trade fair as part of its Going Global export assistance program. Brazil, which has a population of 159 million, has more than 7,000 hospitals and 23,300 health clinics. About 5,600 of the country's hospitals are privately owned. "The Brazilian medical industry has been steadily growing," said Christine Sorg, AEP's international development manager. "AEP is working to help our industrial customers be successful in this market. Last year, about 48,000 attendees visited the 475 exhibitors at Hospitalar '97. We expect this year's trade exhibit will be an excellent mechanism for customers to initiate or expand export sales in Brazil," Sorg said. AEP assistance to customers will include a portion of the booth cost. The electric utility will also provide market research from published sources and help with logistical support arrangements. A former senior U.S. commercial officer who served in Brazil and a former AEP export manager will attend the trade fair, along with other AEP staff members. Customers must pay their own travel and lodging expenses. During the last four years, AEP has helped more than 90 industrial customers enter new markets in Mexico, Canada, Chile and the United Kingdom. Customers who want to take advantage of the Brazil trade fair should contact Christine Sorg no later than April 10 at 614/220-4762. AEP, a global energy company, is one of the United States' largest investor-owned utilities, providing energy to 2.9 million customers in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky. AEP has holdings in the United States, the United Kingdom and China. Wholly owned subsidiaries provide power engineering, consulting and management services around the world. The company is based in Columbus, Ohio.