COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 21, 1998 -- American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) is sending 26 two-man crews, five supervisors and 28 trucks to Cornwall, Ontario, to assist Ontario Hydro, the area's power company, with electricity recovery operations in the region. The AEP crews will be relieving others who have been working 16-hour shifts since a devastating ice storm cut power to the area Jan. 4. Their primary focus will be replacing downed power poles. As of Jan. 20, more than 500,000 homes remained without power, heat or water. The AEP crews, from the company's central and eastern Ohio regions, left today. 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.