COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 31, 2001 - Companies interested in exploring business opportunities in Mexico are invited to participate in a trade mission that American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) will sponsor Sept. 10-14.

AEP, through its Going Global^TM export assistance program, will lead visits to Monterrey and Mexico City. Participants will meet one-on-one and in small groups with representatives of Mexican companies that want to do business with U.S. firms.

“We have helped nearly 70 companies develop sales in the Mexican market,” said Rene Montalvo, AEP’s international development manager, who heads the Going Global^TM program. “The U.S. provides 74 percent of Mexico’s imports, and we export more goods and services to that nation than all other Latin American countries combined.”

Among the U.S. industries that have developed significant trade partnerships with Mexican companies are manufacturers and suppliers of automotive parts, electronic components, construction materials, telecommunications equipment and services, computer hardware and software, franchising, food processing and packaging equipment, water resources equipment and services, pollution control equipment, security and safety equipment, electrical power systems and airport equipment and services.

“To ensure that a trade mission is a beneficial investment, we research, identify and qualify prospects based on information they provide to us,” Montalvo said. “Before the mission, we make sure participants have pertinent background information on the companies with which we’ve planned meetings.

“Dozens of companies have found these trade missions a cost-effective method to evaluate market potential and develop sales,” he said.

AEP launched Going Global^TM in 1994 to help small to medium-sized businesses develop and increase export sales of their products and services through participation in foreign trade shows. The company has assisted more than 170 companies through trade shows and, more recently, trade missions.

The registration deadline for the Mexico trade mission is July 17. More information about the itinerary and cost is available by contacting Montalvo at (956) 971-3212.

American Electric Power is a multinational energy company based in Columbus, Ohio. AEP owns and operates more than 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity, making it one of America’s largest generators of electricity. The company is also a leading wholesale energy marketer and trader, ranking second in the U.S. in electricity volume. AEP provides retail electricity to more than 7 million customers worldwide and has more than $45 billion in assets, primarily in the U.S. with holdings in select international markets. Wholly owned subsidiaries are involved in power engineering and construction services, energy management and telecommunications.