AEP American Electric Power Company Inc

As Filed with the Securities Exchange Commission on February 14, 2025.

Registration No. 333-___________

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Under

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

American Electric Power Company, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

1 Riverside Plaza

Columbus, Ohio 43215

(614) 716-1000

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number,

including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

DAVID C. HOUSE, Associate General Counsel

AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER SERVICE CORPORATION

1 Riverside Plaza

Columbus, Ohio 43215

(614) 716-1630

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,

including area code, of agent for service)

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. [ ]

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. [x]

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. [ ]

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. [ ]

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. [ ]

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. [ ]

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. (Check one):

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where such offer or sale is not permitted.

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED FEBRUARY 14, 2025

PROSPECTUS

AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY, INC.

1 RIVERSIDE PLAZA

COLUMBUS, OHIO 43215

(614) 716-1000

$7,500,000,000

SENIOR NOTES

COMMON STOCK

PREFERRED STOCK

JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBENTURES

STOCK PURCHASE CONTRACTS

STOCK PURCHASE UNITS

TERMS OF SALE

This prospectus contains summaries of the general terms of the securities. You will find the specific terms of these securities, and the manner in which they are being offered, in supplements to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the available prospectus supplement carefully before you invest.

The common stock of American Electric Power Company, Inc. is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC under the symbol “AEP”. The last reported sale of the common stock on the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC on February 3, 2025 was $99.36 per share.

In this prospectus, unless the context indicates otherwise, the words “we”, “ours” and “us” refer to American Electric Power Company, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.

INVESTING IN THESE SECURITIES INVOLVES RISKS. SEE THE SECTION ENTITLED “RISK FACTORS” BEGINNING ON PAGE 2 FOR MORE INFORMATION.

The securities have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission or any state securities commission, nor have these organizations determined that this prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this prospectus is February , 2025.

RISK FACTORS

Investing in our securities involves risk. Please see the risk factors described in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and all subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider these risks as well as other information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. The risks and uncertainties described are those presently known to us.

THE COMPANY

We are a public utility holding company that owns, directly or indirectly, all of the outstanding common stock of our domestic electric utility subsidiaries and varying percentages of other subsidiaries. Substantially all of our operating revenues derive from the furnishing of electric service. We were incorporated under the laws of New York in 1906 and reorganized in 1925. Our principal executive offices are located at 1 Riverside Plaza, Columbus, Ohio 43215, and our telephone number is (614) 716-1000.

We own, directly or indirectly, all the outstanding common stock of the following operating public utility companies: AEP Texas Inc., Appalachian Power Company, Indiana Michigan Power Company, Kentucky Power Company, Kingsport Power Company, Ohio Power Company, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, Southwestern Electric Power Company and Wheeling Power Company. These operating public utility companies supply electric service in portions of Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. We also own all of the membership interests of AEP Transmission Holding Company, LLC, a holding company for our transmission operation joint ventures and for seven transmission-only electric utilities, each of which is geographically aligned with our utility operations.

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENTS

We will provide information to you about the securities in up to three separate documents that progressively provide more detail: (a) this prospectus provides general information some of which may not apply to your securities, (b) the accompanying prospectus supplement provides more specific terms of your securities, and (c) the pricing supplement, if any, provides the final terms of your securities. It is important for you to consider the information contained in this prospectus, the prospectus supplement, and the pricing supplement, if any, in making your investment decision.

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

This prospectus is part of a registration statement we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). We also file annual, quarterly and current reports and other information with the SEC. You may examine our SEC filings through the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we file with them, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus, and later information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings made with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (including any documents filed after the date of the initial registration statement and prior to its effectiveness) until we sell all the securities. We are not incorporating any information included in a Current Report on Form 8-K that has been furnished (and not filed) with the SEC, unless such information is expressly incorporated herein by a reference in a furnished Current Report on Form 8-K or other furnished document.

You may request a copy of these filings, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address:

Investor Relations

American Electric Power Service Corporation

1 Riverside Plaza

Columbus, Ohio 43215

614-716-1000

You should rely only on the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus or any supplement to this prospectus and in any written communication from us or any underwriters specifying the final terms of the particular offering. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with different information. We are not making an offer of these securities in any state where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or any supplement to this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of those documents.

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USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless otherwise stated in a prospectus supplement, the net proceeds from the sale of any of the offered securities will be used for general corporate purposes relating to our business. These purposes may include redeeming or repurchasing outstanding debt, replenishing working capital, and financing our subsidiaries’ ongoing construction and maintenance programs. If we do not use the net proceeds immediately, we will temporarily invest them in short-term, interest-bearing obligations. At December 31, 2024 we had approximately $1.6 billion in short-term debt outstanding.

The prospectus supplement of a particular offering of securities will identify the use of proceeds for the offering.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SENIOR NOTES

General

We will issue the Senior Notes directly to the public, to a trust or as part of a Stock Purchase Unit, under an Indenture dated May 1, 2001 (as previously supplemented and amended, the “Indenture”) between us and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. (as successor to The Bank of New York), as trustee (the “Trustee”). This prospectus briefly outlines some provisions of the Indenture. If you would like more information on these provisions, you should review the Indenture and any supplemental indentures or company orders that we have filed or will file with the SEC. See Where You Can Find More Information on page 2 on how to locate these documents. You may also review these documents at the Trustee’s offices at 311 South Wacker Drive, Suite 6200B, Floor 62, Chicago, Illinois, 60606.

The Indenture does not limit the amount of Senior Notes that may be issued. The Indenture permits us to issue Senior Notes in one or more series or tranches upon the approval of our board of directors and as described in one or more company orders or supplemental indentures. Each series of Senior Notes may differ as to their terms. The Indenture also gives us the ability to reopen a previous issue of a series of Senior Notes and issue additional Senior Notes of such series.

Because we are a holding company, the claims of creditors of our subsidiaries will have a priority over our equity rights and the rights of our creditors (including the holders of the Senior Notes) to participate in the assets of the subsidiary upon the subsidiary’s liquidation.

The Senior Notes are unsecured and will rank equally with all our unsecured unsubordinated debt. For current information on our debt outstanding see our most recent Form 10-K and 10-Q. See Where You Can Find More Information.

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A pricing or prospectus supplement will include the final terms for each Senior Note. If we decide to list upon issuance any Senior Note or Senior Notes on a securities exchange, a pricing or prospectus supplement will identify the exchange and state when we expect trading could begin. The following terms of the Senior Notes that we may sell at one or more times will be established in the applicable pricing or prospectus supplement:

The Senior Notes will be denominated in U.S. dollars and we will pay principal and interest in U.S. dollars. Unless an applicable pricing or prospectus supplement states otherwise, the Senior Notes will not be subject to any conversion, amortization, or sinking fund. We expect that the Senior Notes issued to the public will be “book-entry,” represented by a permanent global Senior Note registered in the name of Cede & Co., The Depository Trust Company’s partnership nominee or such other name as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC. We reserve the right, however, to issue Senior Note certificates registered in the name of the Senior Noteholders.

In the discussion that follows, whenever we talk about paying principal on the Senior Notes, we mean at maturity or redemption. Also, in discussing the time for notices and how the different interest rates are calculated, all times are New York City time and all references to New York mean The City of New York, unless otherwise noted.

The Indenture does not protect holders of the Senior Notes if we engage in a highly leveraged transaction.

The following terms may apply to each Senior Note as specified in the applicable pricing or prospectus supplement and the Senior Note:

Redemptions

If we issue redeemable Senior Notes, we may redeem such Senior Notes at our option unless an applicable pricing or prospectus supplement states otherwise. The pricing or prospectus supplement will state the terms of redemption. We may redeem Senior Notes in whole or in part by delivering written notice to the Senior Noteholders no more than 60, and not less than 30, days prior to redemption. If we do not redeem all the Senior Notes of a series at one time, DTC (as defined herein), in the case of Senior Notes represented by a global security, will select the particular Senior Notes or portions thereof for redemption from the outstanding Senior Notes not previously redeemed in accordance with applicable procedures of DTC. If Senior Note certificates are outstanding, the Trustee selects the Senior Notes to be redeemed by lot or in such other manner it determines to be fair.

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Remarketed Notes

If we issue Senior Notes with remarketing features, an applicable pricing or prospectus supplement will describe the terms for the Senior Notes including: interest rate, remarketing provisions, our right to purchase or redeem Senior Notes, the holders’ right to tender Senior Notes, and any other provisions.

Note Certificates-Registration, Transfer, and Payment of Interest and Principal

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, each series of Senior Notes issued to the public will be issued initially in the form of one or more global notes, in registered form, without coupons, as described under Book-Entry System. However, if we issue Senior Note certificates, they will be registered in the name of the Senior Noteholder. The Senior Notes may be transferred or exchanged, pursuant to administrative procedures in the Indenture, without the payment of any service charge (other than any tax or other governmental charge) by contacting the paying agent. Payments to public holders of Senior Note certificates will be made by check or by wire transfer to an account located in the United States maintained by the person entitled thereto as specified in the security register.

Original Issue Discount

We may issue the Senior Notes at an original issue discount, bearing no interest or bearing interest at a rate that, at the time of issuance, is below market rate, to be sold at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount. Generally speaking, if the Senior Notes are issued at an original issue discount and there is an event of default or acceleration of their maturity, holders will receive an amount less than their principal amount. Tax and other special considerations applicable to original issue discount debt will be described in the prospectus supplement in which we offer those Senior Notes.

Interest Rate

The interest rate on the Senior Notes will either be fixed or floating. The interest paid will include interest accrued to, but excluding, the date of maturity or redemption. Interest is generally payable to the person in whose name the Senior Note is registered at the close of business on the record date before each interest payment date. Interest payable at maturity or redemption, however, will be payable to the person to whom principal is payable.

If we issue a Senior Note after a record date but on or prior to the related interest payment date, we will pay the first interest payment on the interest payment date after the next record date. We will pay interest payments by check or wire transfer, at our option.

Fixed Rate Senior Notes

A pricing or prospectus supplement will designate the record dates, payment dates, our ability to defer interest payments and the fixed rate of interest payable on a Senior Note. We will pay interest quarterly or semi-annually, and upon maturity or redemption. Unless an applicable pricing or prospectus supplement states otherwise, if any payment date falls on a day that is not a Business Day, we will pay interest on the next Business Day and no additional interest will be paid. Interest payments will be the amount of interest accrued to, but excluding, each payment date. Interest will be computed using a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

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Floating Rate Notes

Each floating rate Senior Note will have an interest rate formula. The applicable pricing or prospectus supplement will state the initial interest rate or interest rate formula on each Senior Note effective until the first interest reset date. The applicable pricing or prospectus supplement will state the method and dates on which the interest rate will be determined, reset and paid.

Events of Default

The following are events of default under the Indenture with respect to any series of Senior Notes, unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement:

An event of default for a particular series of Senior Notes does not necessarily mean that an event of default has occurred for any other series of Senior Notes issued and outstanding under the Indenture. If an event of default occurs and continues, the Trustee or the holders of at least 33% of the principal amount of the Senior Notes of the series affected may require us to repay the entire principal of the Senior Notes of such series immediately (“Repayment Acceleration”). In most instances, the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes of the affected series may rescind a previously triggered Repayment Acceleration. However, if we cause an event of default because we have failed to pay (unaccelerated) principal, premium, if any, or interest, Repayment Acceleration may be rescinded only if we have first cured our default by depositing with the Trustee enough money to pay all (unaccelerated) past due amounts and penalties, if any.

Subject to certain exceptions, the Trustee must within 90 days after a default occurs, notify the holders of the Senior Notes of the series of default unless such default has been cured or waived. We are required to file an annual certificate with the Trustee, signed by an officer, concerning any default by us under any provisions of the Indenture.

Subject to the provisions of the Indenture relating to its duties in case of default, the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the Indenture at the request, order or direction of any holders unless such holders offer the Trustee reasonable indemnity. Subject to the provisions for indemnification, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Senior Notes of any series may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceedings for any remedy available to, or exercising any trust or power conferred on, the Trustee with respect to such Senior Notes.

Modification of Indenture

Under the Indenture, our rights and obligations and the rights of the holders of any Senior Notes may be changed. Any change affecting the rights of the holders of any series of Senior Notes requires the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Senior Notes of all series affected by the change, voting as one class. However, we cannot change the terms of payment of principal or interest, or reduce the percentage required for changes or a waiver of default,

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unless the holder consents. We may issue additional series of Senior Notes and take other action that does not affect the rights of holders of any series by executing supplemental indentures without the consent of any Senior Noteholders.

Consolidation, Merger or Sale

We may merge or consolidate with any entity or sell substantially all of our assets as an entirety as long as the successor or purchaser (i) is organized and existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia and (ii) expressly assumes the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Senior Notes.

Legal Defeasance

We will be discharged from our obligations on the Senior Notes of any series at any time if:

If this happens, the Senior Noteholders of the series will not be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture except for registration of transfer and exchange of Senior Notes and replacement of lost, stolen or mutilated Senior Notes.

Covenant Defeasance

We will be discharged from our obligations under any restrictive covenant applicable to the Senior Notes of a particular series if we perform both actions described above. See Legal Defeasance. If this happens, any later breach of that particular restrictive covenant will not result in Repayment Acceleration. If we cause an event of default apart from breaching that restrictive covenant, there may not be sufficient money or government obligations on deposit with the Trustee to pay all amounts due on the Senior Notes of that series. In that instance, we would remain liable for such amounts.

Governing Law

The Indenture and Senior Notes of all series will be governed by the laws of the State of New York.

Concerning the Trustee

We and our affiliates use or will use some of the banking services of the Trustee in the normal course of business. The Trustee is also the Subordinated Indenture Trustee under the Subordinated Indenture relating to the Junior Subordinated Debentures.

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DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK

Our authorized capital stock currently consists of 600,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $6.50 per share. 533,210,532 shares of our common stock were issued and outstanding as of February 3, 2025. Our common stock, including the common stock offered in this prospectus once issued, is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC. Computershare Trust Company, N.A., P.O. Box 43081, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-3081, is the transfer agent and registrar for our common stock.

Dividend Rights

The holders of our common stock are entitled to receive the dividends declared by our board of directors provided funds are legally available for such dividends. Our income derives from our common stock equity in the earnings of our subsidiaries. Various financing arrangements and regulatory requirements may impose certain restrictions on the ability of our subsidiaries to transfer funds to us in the form of cash dividends, loans or advances.

Voting Rights

The holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share of common stock held.

Pre-emptive Rights

The holders of our common stock do not have the right to subscribe for or purchase any part of any new or additional issue of our common stock.

Rights Upon Liquidation

If we are liquidated, holders of our common stock will be entitled to receive pro rata all assets available for distribution to our shareholders after payment of our liabilities, including liquidation expenses.

Restrictions on Dealing with Existing Shareholders

We are subject to Section 513 of New York’s Business Corporation Law, which provides that no domestic corporation may purchase or agree to purchase more than 10% of its stock from a shareholder who has held the shares for less than two years at any price that is higher than the market price unless the transaction is approved by both the corporation’s board of directors and a majority of the votes of all outstanding shares entitled to vote thereon at a meeting of shareholders, unless the certificate of incorporation requires a greater percentage of the votes of the outstanding shares to approve or the corporation offers to purchase shares from all the holders on the same terms. Our certificate of incorporation does not currently provide for a higher percentage.

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DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK

Our certificate of incorporation, as amended, authorizes our board of directors, to create and provide for the issuance of one or more series of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, without the approval of our shareholders. The board of directors can also determine the terms, including the designations, powers, preferences and rights (including conversion, voting and other rights) and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions, of any preferred stock. Currently, 50,000,000 shares of our capital stock are classified as preferred stock under our certificate of incorporation. As of February 3, 2025, no shares of our preferred stock were outstanding.

The following description summarizes the general terms and provisions of our authorized preferred stock. The particular terms of any series of preferred stock we offer will be described in the related prospectus supplement. You should read the particular terms of any series of preferred stock we offer described in the related prospectus supplement, together with the more detailed provisions of our certificate of incorporation and any amendment to the certificate of incorporation relating to the particular series of preferred stock, for provisions that may be important to you. Our certificate of incorporation has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Any amendment to the certificate of incorporation relating to the particular series of preferred stock will be filed as an exhibit to a document incorporated by reference in the registration statement. The prospectus supplement will also state whether any of the terms summarized below do not apply to the series of preferred stock being offered. Terms which could be included in a prospectus supplement include:

The preferred stock will, when issued, be fully paid and nonassessable and have no preemptive rights. Preferred stock will have the dividend, liquidation, and voting rights described below, unless we indicate otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of preferred stock. You should read the prospectus supplement relating to any series of preferred stock for the series’ specific terms.

Dividend Rights

Holders of preferred stock will receive, when, as and if declared by the board of directors, dividends at rates and on the dates described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Each dividend will

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be payable to the holders of record as they appear on our stock record books. Dividends on any series of preferred stock may be cumulative or noncumulative.

We will not declare or pay or set apart funds for the payment of dividends on the common stock unless we have paid or set apart funds for the payment of dividends on our outstanding preferred stock.

Voting Rights

Unless we indicate otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of preferred stock or expressly required by law, the holders of the preferred stock will not have any voting rights.

Rights upon Liquidation

If we liquidate, dissolve or wind up our affairs, either voluntarily or involuntarily, the holders of each series of preferred stock will be entitled to receive liquidation distributions. These will be in the amounts set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, plus accrued and unpaid dividends and, if the series of the preferred stock is cumulative, accrued and unpaid dividends for all prior dividend periods. If we do not pay in full all amounts payable on any series of preferred stock, the holders of the preferred stock will share proportionately with any equally ranked securities in any distribution of our assets. After the holders of any series of preferred stock are paid in full, they will not have any further claim to any of our remaining assets.

Redemption

A series of preferred stock may be redeemable, in whole or in part, at our option or at the option of the holder of the stock, and may be subject to mandatory redemption pursuant to a sinking fund, under the terms described in any applicable prospectus supplement.

In the event of partial redemptions of preferred stock, the board of directors or its committee will determine the method for selecting the shares to be redeemed, which may be by lot or pro rata or by any other method the board of directors or its committee determines to be equitable.

On and after a redemption date, unless we default in the payment of the redemption price, dividends will cease to accrue on shares of preferred stock which were called for redemption. In addition, all rights of holders of the preferred shares will terminate except for the right to receive the redemption price plus any declared and unpaid dividends without accumulation of any undeclared dividends.

Conversion and Exchange

The applicable prospectus supplement for any series of preferred stock will state the terms and conditions, if any, on which shares of that series are convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock or other securities.

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DESCRIPTION OF THE JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBENTURES

General

We will issue the Junior Subordinated Debentures directly to the public, to a trust or as part of a Stock Purchase Unit under the Junior Subordinated Indenture dated March 1, 2008 (the “Subordinated Indenture”) between us and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. (as successor to The Bank of New York), as the trustee (the “Subordinated Indenture Trustee”). This prospectus briefly outlines some provisions of the Subordinated Indenture. If you would like more information on these provisions, you should review the Subordinated Indenture and any supplemental indentures or company orders that we will file with the SEC. See Where You Can Find More Information on how to locate these documents. You may also review these documents at the Subordinated Indenture Trustee’s offices at 2 North LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois.

The Junior Subordinated Debentures are unsecured obligations and are junior in right of payment to “Senior Indebtedness”. You may find a description of the subordination provisions of the Junior Subordinated Debentures, including a description of Senior Indebtedness under Subordination.

Because we are a holding company, the claims of creditors of our subsidiaries will have a priority over our equity rights and the rights of our creditors (including the holders of the Junior Subordinated Debentures) to participate in the assets of the subsidiary upon the subsidiary’s liquidation.

The Subordinated Indenture does not limit the amount of Junior Subordinated Debentures that we may issue under it. We may issue Junior Subordinated Debentures from time to time under the Subordinated Indenture in one or more series by entering into supplemental indentures or by our Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee authorizing the issuance. The Subordinated Indenture also gives us the ability to reopen a previous issue of a series of Junior Subordinated Debentures and issue additional Junior Subordinated Debentures of such series.

A pricing or prospectus supplement will include the final terms for each Junior Subordinated Debenture. If we decide to list upon issuance any Junior Subordinated Debenture or Junior Subordinated Debentures on a securities exchange, a pricing or prospectus supplement will identify the exchange and state when we expect trading could begin. The following terms of the Junior Subordinated Debentures that we may sell at one or more times will be established in a prospectus supplement:

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The Subordinated Indenture does not protect the holders of Junior Subordinated Debentures if we engage in a highly leveraged transaction.

Redemption

Provisions relating to the redemption of Junior Subordinated Debentures will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may redeem Junior Subordinated Debentures only upon notice mailed at least 30 but not more than 60 days before the date fixed for redemption. If we do not redeem all the Junior Subordinated Debentures of a series at one time, DTC, in the case of Junior Subordinated Debentures represented by a global security, will select the particular Junior Subordinated Debentures or portions thereof for redemption from the outstanding Junior Subordinated Debentures not previously redeemed in accordance with applicable procedures of DTC. If Junior Subordinated Debenture certificates are outstanding, the Subordinated Indenture Trustee selects the Junior Subordinated Debentures to be redeemed by lot or in such other manner it determines to be fair.

Junior Subordinated Debenture Certificates-Registration, Transfer, and Payment of Interest and Principal

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, each series of Junior Subordinated Debentures issued to the public initially will be in the form of one or more global Junior Subordinated Debentures, in registered form, without coupons, as described under Book-Entry System. However, if we issue Junior Subordinated Debenture certificates, they will be registered in the name of the Junior Subordinated Debentureholder. The Junior Subordinated Debentures may be transferred or exchanged, pursuant to administrative procedures in the Subordinated Indenture, without the payment of any service charge (other than any tax or other governmental charge) by contacting the paying agent. Payments to public holders of Junior Subordinated Debenture certificates will be made by check or by wire transfer to an account located in the United States maintained by the person entitled thereto as specified in the security register.

Original Issue Discount

We may issue the Junior Subordinated Debentures at an original issue discount, bearing no interest or bearing interest at a rate that, at the time of issuance, is below market rate, to be sold at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount. Generally speaking, if the Junior Subordinated Debentures are issued at an original issue discount and there is an event of default or acceleration of their maturity, holders will receive an amount less than their principal amount. Tax and other special considerations applicable to original issue discount debt will be described in the prospectus supplement in which we offer those Junior Subordinated Debentures.

Interest Rate

The interest rate on the Junior Subordinated Debentures will either be fixed or floating. The interest paid will include interest accrued to, but excluding, the date of maturity or redemption. Interest is generally payable to the person in whose name the Junior Subordinated Debenture is registered at the close of business on the record date before each interest payment date. Interest payable at maturity or redemption, however, will be payable to the person to whom principal is payable.

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If we issue a Junior Subordinated Debenture after a record date but on or prior to the related interest payment date, we will pay the first interest payment on the interest payment date after the next record date. We will pay interest payments by check or wire transfer, at our option.

Fixed Rate Junior Subordinated Debentures

A pricing or prospectus supplement will designate the record dates, payment dates, our ability to defer interest payments and the fixed rate of interest payable on a Junior Subordinated Debenture. We will pay interest quarterly or semi-annually, and upon maturity or redemption. Unless an applicable pricing or prospectus supplement states otherwise, if any payment date falls on a day that is not a Business Day, we will pay interest on the next Business Day and no additional interest will be paid. Interest payments will be the amount of interest accrued to, but excluding, each payment date. Interest will be computed using a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

Floating Rate Junior Subordinated Debentures

Each floating rate Junior Subordinated Debenture will have an interest rate formula. The applicable pricing or prospectus supplement will state the initial interest rate or interest rate formula on each Junior Subordinated Debenture effective until the first interest reset date. The applicable pricing or prospectus supplement will state the method and dates on which the interest rate will be determined, reset and paid.

Events of Default

The following are events of default under the Subordinated Indenture with respect to any series of Junior Subordinated Debentures, unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement:

An event of default for a particular series of Junior Subordinated Debentures does not necessarily mean that an event of default has occurred for any other series of Junior Subordinated Debentures issued under the Subordinated Indenture. If an event of default occurs and continues, the Subordinated Indenture Trustee or the holders of at least 33% of the principal amount of the Junior Subordinated Debentures of the series affected may require us to repay the entire principal of the Junior Subordinated Debentures of such series immediately (“Repayment Acceleration”). In most instances, the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Junior Subordinated Debentures of the affected series may rescind a previously triggered Repayment Acceleration. However, if we cause an event of default because we have failed to pay (unaccelerated) principal, premium, if any, or interest, Repayment Acceleration may be rescinded only if we have first cured our default by depositing with the Subordinated Indenture Trustee enough money to pay all (unaccelerated) past due amounts and penalties, if any.

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Subject to certain exceptions, the Subordinated Indenture Trustee must within 90 days after a default occurs, notify the holders of the Junior Subordinated Debentures of the series of default unless such default has been cured or waived. We are required to file an annual certificate with the Subordinated Indenture Trustee, signed by an officer, concerning any default by us under any provisions of the Subordinated Indenture.

Subject to the provisions of the Subordinated Indenture relating to its duties in case of default, the Subordinated Indenture Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the Subordinated Indenture at the request, order or direction of any holders unless such holders offer the Subordinated Indenture Trustee reasonable indemnity. Subject to the provisions for indemnification, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Junior Subordinated Debentures of any series may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceedings for any remedy available to, or exercising any trust or power conferred on, the Subordinated Indenture Trustee with respect to such Junior Subordinated Debentures.

Modification of Subordinated Indenture

Under the Subordinated Indenture, our rights and obligations and the rights of the holders of any Junior Subordinated Debentures may be changed. Any change affecting the rights of the holders of any series of Junior Subordinated Debentures requires the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Junior Subordinated Debentures of all series affected by the change, voting as one class. However, we cannot change the terms of payment of principal or interest, or reduce the percentage required for changes or a waiver of default, unless the holder consents. We may issue additional series of Junior Subordinated Debentures and take other action that does not affect the rights of holders of any series by executing supplemental indentures without the consent of any debentureholders.

Consolidation, Merger or Sale

We may merge or consolidate with any entity or sell substantially all of our assets as an entirety as long as the successor or purchaser (i) is organized and existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia and (ii) expressly assumes the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Junior Subordinated Debentures.

Legal Defeasance

We will be discharged from our obligations on the Junior Subordinated Debentures of any series at any time if:

If this happens, the debentureholders of the series will no longer be entitled to the benefits of the Subordinated Indenture except for registration of transfer and exchange of Junior Subordinated Debentures and replacement of lost, stolen or mutilated Junior Subordinated Debentures.

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Covenant Defeasance

We will be discharged from our obligations under any restrictive covenant applicable to the Junior Subordinated Debentures of a particular series if we perform both actions described above. See Legal Defeasance. If this happens, any later breach of that particular restrictive covenant will not result in Repayment Acceleration. If we cause an event of default apart from breaching that restrictive covenant, there may not be sufficient money or government obligations on deposit with the Subordinated Indenture Trustee to pay all amounts due on the Junior Subordinated Debentures of that series. In that instance, we would remain liable for such amounts.

Junior Subordinated Debentures issued to a trust will not be subject to covenant defeasance.

Subordination

Each series of Junior Subordinated Debentures will be subordinate and junior in right of payment, to the extent set forth in the Subordinated Indenture, to all Senior Indebtedness as defined below. If:

then the holders of Senior Indebtedness generally will have the right to receive payment, in the case of the first instance, of all amounts due or to become due upon that Senior Indebtedness, and, in the case of the second and third instances, of all amounts due on that Senior Indebtedness, or we will make provision for those payments, before the holders of any Junior Subordinated Debentures have the right to receive any payments of principal or interest on their Junior Subordinated Debentures.

“Senior Indebtedness” means, with respect to any series of Junior Subordinated Debentures, the principal, premium, interest and any other payment in respect of any of the following:

Any such indebtedness, renewal, extension or refunding, however, will not be Senior Indebtedness if the instrument creating or evidencing it or the assumption or Guarantee of it provides that it is not superior in right of payment to or is equal in right of payment with those Junior Subordinated Debentures. Senior Indebtedness will be entitled to the benefits of the subordination provisions in the Subordinated Indenture irrespective of the amendment, modification or waiver of any term of the Senior Indebtedness.

The Subordinated Indenture does not limit the amount of Senior Indebtedness that we may issue. As of December 31, 2024, our Senior Indebtedness totaled approximately $5.9 billion.

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Governing Law

The Subordinated Indenture and Junior Subordinated Debentures of all series are governed by the laws of the State of New York.

Concerning the Trustee

We and our affiliates use or will use some of the banking services of the Subordinated Indenture Trustee in the normal course of business. The Subordinated Trustee is also the Trustee under the Indenture relating to the Senior Notes.

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DESCRIPTION OF THE STOCK PURCHASE CONTRACTS AND THE STOCK

PURCHASE UNITS

We may issue Stock Purchase Contracts representing contracts obligating holders to purchase from us and we may sell to the holders, a specified number of shares of common stock (or a range of numbers of shares pursuant to a predetermined formula) at a future date or dates. The price per share of common stock may be fixed at the time the Stock Purchase Contracts are issued or may be determined by reference to a specific formula set forth in the Stock Purchase Contracts.

The Stock Purchase Contracts may be issued separately or as a part of units, often known as Stock Purchase Units, consisting of a Stock Purchase Contract and either Debt Securities or debt obligations of third parties, including U.S. Treasury securities, securing the holder’s obligations to purchase the common stock under the Stock Purchase Contracts.

The Stock Purchase Contracts may require us to make periodic payments to the holders of the Stock Purchase Units or vice versa, and such payments may be unsecured or prefunded on some basis. The Stock Purchase Contracts may require holders to secure their obligations in a specified manner and in certain circumstances we may deliver newly issued prepaid Stock Purchase Contracts, often known as prepaid securities, upon release to a holder of any collateral securing such holder’s obligations under the original Stock Purchase Contract.

The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any Stock Purchase Contracts or Stock Purchase Units and, if applicable, prepaid securities. The description in the applicable prospectus supplement will not necessarily contain all of information that you may find useful. For more information, you should review the Stock Purchase Contracts, the collateral arrangements and depositary arrangements, if applicable, relating to such Stock Purchase Contracts or Stock Purchase Units and, if applicable, the prepaid securities and the document pursuant to which the prepaid securities will be issued. These documents will be filed with the SEC promptly after the offering of such Stock Purchase Contracts or Stock Purchase Units and, if applicable, prepaid securities.

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BOOK-ENTRY SYSTEM

Unless otherwise stated in a prospectus supplement, book-entry only securities of a series will be issued in the form of a global security that the Trustee will deposit with the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), New York, New York. This means that we will not issue security certificates to each holder. One or more global securities will be issued to Cede & Co. (DTC’s partnership nominee) or such other name as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC who will keep a computerized record of its participants (for example, your broker) whose clients have purchased the securities. The participant will then keep a record of its clients who purchased the securities. Unless it is exchanged in whole or in part for a certificate, a global security may not be transferred, except that DTC, its nominees, and their successors may transfer a global security as a whole to one another.

Beneficial interests in global securities will be shown on, and transfers of global securities will be made only through, records maintained by DTC and its participants.

DTC, the world’s largest securities depository, is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a “banking organization” within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code, and a “clearing agency” registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. DTC holds and provides asset servicing for over 3.5 million issues of U.S. and non-U.S. equity issues, corporate and municipal debt issues, and money market instruments (from over 100 countries) that DTC’s participants (“Direct Participants”) deposit with DTC. DTC also facilitates the post-trade settlement among Direct Participants of sales and other securities transactions in deposited securities, through electronic computerized book-entry transfers and pledges between Direct Participants’ accounts. This eliminates the need for physical movement of securities certificates. Direct Participants include both U.S. and non-U.S. securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations, and certain other organizations. DTC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (“DTCC”). DTCC is the holding company for DTC, National Securities Clearing Corporation and Fixed Income Clearing Corporation, all of which are registered clearing agencies. DTCC is owned by the users of its regulated subsidiaries. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as both U.S. and non-U.S. securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, and clearing corporations that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Direct Participant, either directly or indirectly (“Indirect Participants”). The DTC Rules applicable to its Participants are on file with the SEC. More information about DTC can be found at www.dtcc.com.

Purchases of securities under the DTC system must be made by or through Direct Participants, which will receive a credit for the securities on DTC’s records. The ownership interest of each actual purchaser of each security (“Beneficial Owner”) is in turn to be recorded on the Direct and Indirect Participants’ records. Beneficial Owners will not receive written confirmation from DTC of their purchase. Beneficial Owners are, however, expected to receive written confirmations providing details of the transaction, as well as periodic statements of their holdings, from the Direct or Indirect Participant through which the Beneficial Owner entered into the transaction. Transfers of ownership interests in the securities are to be accomplished by entries made on the books of Direct and Indirect Participants acting on behalf of Beneficial Owners. Beneficial Owners will not receive certificates representing their ownership interests in securities, except in the event that use of the book-entry system for the securities is discontinued.

To facilitate subsequent transfers, all securities deposited by Direct Participants with DTC are registered in the name of DTC’s partnership nominee, Cede & Co., or such other name as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC. The deposit of securities with DTC and their

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registration in the name of Cede & Co. or such other DTC nominee do not effect any change in beneficial ownership. DTC has no knowledge of the actual Beneficial Owners of the securities; DTC’s records reflect only the identity of the Direct Participants to whose accounts such securities are credited, which may or may not be the Beneficial Owners. The Direct and Indirect Participants will remain responsible for keeping account of their holdings on behalf of their customers.

Conveyance of notices and other communications by DTC to Direct Participants, by Direct Participants to Indirect Participants, and by Direct Participants and Indirect Participants to Beneficial Owners will be governed by arrangements among them, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time. Beneficial Owners of securities may wish to take certain steps to augment the transmission to them of notices of significant events with respect to the securities, such as redemptions, tenders, defaults, and proposed amendments to the securities documents. For example, Beneficial Owners of securities may wish to ascertain that the nominee holding the securities for their benefit has agreed to obtain and transmit notices to Beneficial Owners. In the alternative, Beneficial Owners may wish to provide their names and addresses to the registrar and request that copies of notices be provided directly to them.

Redemption notices shall be sent to DTC. If less than all of the securities are being redeemed, DTC’s practice is to determine by lot the amount of the interest of each Direct Participant in such issue to be redeemed.

Neither DTC nor Cede & Co. (nor any other DTC nominee) will consent or vote with respect to the securities unless authorized by a Direct Participant in accordance with DTC’s MMI Procedures. Under its usual procedures, DTC mails an Omnibus Proxy to us as soon as possible after the record date. The Omnibus Proxy assigns Cede & Co.’s consenting or voting rights to those Direct Participants to whose accounts the securities are credited on the record date (identified in a listing attached to the Omnibus Proxy).

Payments on the securities will be made to Cede & Co., or such other nominee as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC. DTC’s practice is to credit Direct Participants’ accounts upon DTC’s receipt of funds and corresponding detail information from us or the Trustee on the payable date in accordance with their respective holdings shown on DTC’s records. Payments by Participants to Beneficial Owners will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name”, and will be the responsibility of such Participant and not of DTC, the Trustee or us, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time. Payment of redemption proceeds and distributions to Cede & Co. (or such other nominee as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC) is our responsibility, disbursement of such payments to Direct Participants will be the responsibility of DTC, and disbursement of such payments to the Beneficial Owners will be the responsibility of Direct and Indirect Participants.

A Beneficial Owner shall give notice to elect to have its securities purchased or tendered, through its Participant, to the Tender/Remarketing Agent, and shall effect delivery of such securities by causing the Direct Participant to transfer the Participant’s interest in the securities, on DTC’s records, to the Tender/Remarketing Agent. The requirement for physical delivery of the securities in connection with an optional tender or a mandatory purchase will be deemed satisfied when the ownership rights in the securities are transferred by Direct Participants on DTC’s records and followed by a book-entry credit of tendered securities to the Tender/Remarketing Agent’s DTC account.

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DTC may discontinue providing its services as depository with respect to the securities at any time by giving reasonable notice to us. Under such circumstances, in the event that a successor depository is not obtained, security certificates are required to be printed and delivered.

We may decide to discontinue use of the system of book-entry only transfers through DTC (or a successor securities depository). In that event, security certificates will be printed and delivered to DTC.

The information in this section concerning DTC and DTC’s book-entry system has been obtained from sources that we believe to be reliable, but we take no responsibility for the accuracy thereof.

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell the securities (a) through agents; (b) through underwriters or dealers; or (c) directly to one or more purchasers.

By Agents

Securities may be sold on a continuing basis through agents designated by us. The agents will agree to use their reasonable efforts to solicit purchases for the period of their appointment.

Any initial offering price and any discounts, concessions or commissions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.

The agents will not be obligated to make a market in the securities. We cannot predict the amount of trading or liquidity of the securities.

By Underwriters

The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the terms under which the securities are offered, including the name or names of any underwriters, the purchase price of the securities and the proceeds to us from the sale, any underwriting discounts and other items constituting underwriters’ compensation, any initial offering price and any discounts, commissions or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers.

If underwriters are used in the sale, the underwriters will acquire the securities for their own account. The underwriters may resell the securities in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. The obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to certain conditions. The underwriters will be obligated to purchase all the securities offered if any are purchased. Any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.

The underwriters may not be obligated to make a market in the securities. We cannot predict the amount of trading or liquidity of the securities.

Direct Sales

We may also sell securities directly. In this case, no underwriters or agents would be involved.

General Information

Underwriters, dealers, and agents that participate in the distribution of the securities may be underwriters as defined in the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Act”), and any discounts or commissions received by them from us and any profit on the resale of the securities by them may be treated as underwriting discounts and commissions under the Act.

We may have agreements with the underwriters, dealers and agents to indemnify them against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Act or to contribute to payments that each underwriter, dealer or agent may be required to make in respect thereto.

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Underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us or our affiliates in the ordinary course of their businesses.

LEGAL OPINIONS

Our counsel, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, New York, NY and Houston, TX, or David C. House, Esq., Associate General Counsel of American Electric Power Service Corporation, one of our affiliates, or William E. Johnson, Esq., or Ryan F. Aguiar Esq., each Senior Counsel of American Electric Power Service Corporation, will issue an opinion about the legality of the securities for us. Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, New York, NY will issue an opinion for the agents or underwriters. From time to time, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP acts as counsel to our affiliates for some matters.

EXPERTS

The financial statements and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (which is included in Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting) incorporated in this Prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K of American Electric Power Company, Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2024 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

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PART II

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

*    Estimated expenses not presently known. Each prospectus supplement will reflect estimated expenses based on the amount of the related offerings.

**   The listing fee is based upon the principal amount of securities listed, if any, and is therefore not currently determinable.

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

The New York Business Corporation Law (“BCL”), Article 7, Sections 721-726 provide for the indemnification and advancement of expenses to officers and directors. Section 721 provides that indemnification and advancement pursuant to the BCL are not exclusive of any other rights an officer or director may be entitled to, provided that no indemnification may be made to or on behalf of any director or officer if a judgment or other final adjudication adverse to the director or officer establishes that his acts were committed in bad faith or were the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and were material to the cause of action so adjudicated, or that the director personally gained a financial profit or other advantage to which he or she was not legally entitled.

Section 722 of the BCL provides that a corporation may indemnify an officer or director, in the case of third party actions, against judgments, fines, amounts paid in settlement and reasonable expenses and, in the case of derivative actions, against amounts paid in settlement and reasonable expenses, provided that the director or officer acted in good faith, for a purpose which he or she reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the corporation and, in the case of criminal actions, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. In addition, statutory indemnification may not be provided in derivative actions (i) which are settled or otherwise disposed of or (ii) in which the director or officer is adjudged liable to the corporation, unless and only to the extent a court determines that the person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity.

Section 723 of the BCL provides that statutory indemnification is mandatory where the director or officer has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of a civil or criminal action or proceeding. Section 723 also provides that expenses of defending a civil or criminal action or proceeding may be advanced by the corporation upon receipt of an undertaking to repay them if and to the extent the recipient is ultimately found not to be entitled to indemnification. Section 725 provides for repayment of such expenses when the recipient is ultimately found not to be entitled to indemnification. Section 726 provides that a corporation may obtain indemnification insurance indemnifying itself and its directors and officers.

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Section 402(b) of the BCL provides that a corporation may include in its certificate of incorporation a provision limiting or eliminating, with certain exceptions, the personal liability of directors to a corporation or its shareholders for damages for any breach of duty in such capacity. The certificate of incorporation of the registrant contains provisions eliminating the personal liability of directors to the extent permitted by New York law. The bylaws of the registrant provide for the indemnification of directors and officers of the registrant to the full extent permitted by law.

The above is a general summary of certain provisions of the registrant’s certificate of incorporation, bylaws and the BCL and is subject in all respects to the specific and detailed provisions of the registrant’s certificate of incorporation, bylaws and the BCL.

Reference is made to the Underwriting Agreements filed as Exhibit 1(a)-1(e) hereto, which provide for indemnification of the registrant, certain of its directors and officers, and persons who control the registrant, under certain circumstances.

The registrant maintains insurance policies insuring its directors and officers against certain obligations that may be incurred by them.

Item 16. Exhibits.

Reference is made to the information contained in the Exhibit Index filed as part of this Registration Statement.

Item 17. Undertakings

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provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1) (i), (ii) and (iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

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EXHIBIT INDEX

Certain of the following exhibits, designated with an asterisk (*), have heretofore been filed with the Commission and, pursuant to 17 C.F.R. Sections 201.24 and 230.411, are incorporated herein by reference to the documents indicated following the descriptions of such exhibits.

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Note: Reports of the Company on Forms 8-K, 10-Q and 10-K are on file with the SEC under File No. 1-3525.

* Incorporated by reference herein as indicated

x To be filed by amendment or pursuant to a report to be filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, if applicable

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable cause to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Columbus and State of Ohio, on the 14th day of February, 2025.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

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Exhibit 1(a)

AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY, INC.

Underwriting Agreement

Dated ____________________

AGREEMENT made between AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY, INC., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York (the “Company”), and the several persons, firms and corporations (the “Underwriters”) named in Exhibit 1 hereto.

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, the Company proposes to issue and sell $__________ principal amount of its [Unsecured Notes] to be issued pursuant to the Indenture dated as of __________, ____, between the Company and The Bank of New York, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as heretofore supplemented and amended and as to be further supplemented and amended (said Indenture as so supplemented being hereafter referred to as the Indenture); and

WHEREAS, the Underwriters have designated the person signing this Agreement (the Representative) to execute this Agreement on behalf of the respective Underwriters and to act for the respective Underwriters in the manner provided in this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, the Company has prepared and filed, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 (the Act), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission), a registration statement and prospectus or prospectuses relating to the [Unsecured Notes] and such registration statement has become effective; and

WHEREAS, such registration statement, as it may have been amended to the date hereof, including the financial statements, the documents incorporated or deemed incorporated therein by reference and the exhibits, being herein called the Registration Statement, and the prospectus, as included or referred to in the Registration Statement to become effective, as it may be last amended or supplemented prior to the effectiveness of the agreement (the Basic Prospectus), and the Basic Prospectus, as supplemented by one or more prospectus supplements which includes certain information relating to the Underwriters, the principal amount, price and terms of offering, the interest rate and redemption prices of the [Unsecured Notes], first filed with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) of the Commission’s General Rules and Regulations under the Act (the Rules), including all documents then incorporated or deemed to have been incorporated therein by reference, being herein call the Prospectus.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants herein contained, it is agreed between the parties as follows:

1.  Purchase and Sale: Upon the basis of the warranties and representations and on the terms and subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to the respective Underwriters named in Exhibit 1 hereto, severally and not jointly, and the respective Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase from the Company, the respective principal amounts of the [Unsecured Notes] set opposite their names in Exhibit 1 hereto, together aggregating all of the [Unsecured Notes], at a price equal to ______% of the principal amount thereof.

2.  Payment and Delivery: Payment for the [Unsecured Notes] shall be made to the Company or its order by certified or bank check or checks, payable in New York Clearing House funds, at the office of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, 425 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017-3909, or at such other place as the Company and the Representative shall mutually agree in writing, upon the delivery of the [Unsecured Notes] to the Representative for the respective accounts of the Underwriters against receipt therefor signed by the Representative on behalf of itself and for the other Underwriters. Such payments and delivery shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York Time, on _______________ (or on such later business day, not more than five business days subsequent to such day, as may be mutually agreed upon by the Company and the Underwriters), unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 7 hereof. The time at which payment and delivery are to be made is herein called the Time of Purchase.

[The delivery of the [Unsecured Notes] shall be made in fully registered form, registered in the name of CEDE & CO., to the offices of The Depository Trust Company in New York, New York and the Underwriters shall accept such delivery.]

3.  Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations: The several obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the warranties and representations on the part of the Company on the date hereof and at the Time of Purchase and to the following other conditions:

(a)  That all legal proceedings to be taken and all legal opinions to be rendered in connection with the issue and sale of the [Unsecured Notes] shall be satisfactory in form and substance to Dewey Ballantine LLP, counsel to the Underwriters.

(b)  That, at the Time of Purchase, the Representative shall be furnished with the following opinions, dated the day of the Time of Purchase, with conformed copies or signed counterparts thereof for the other Underwriters, with such changes therein as may be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative with the approval of Dewey Ballantine LLP, counsel to the Underwriters:

(1)  Opinion of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and any of Thomas G. Berkemeyer, Esq., Ann B. Graf, Esq., David C. House, Esq., William E. Johnson, Esq. or Kevin R. Fease, Esq., counsel to the Company, substantially in the forms attached hereto as Exhibits A and B; and

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(2)  Opinion of Dewey Ballantine LLP, counsel to the Underwriters, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C.

(c)  That the Representative shall have received a letter from Deloitte & Touche LLP in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, dated as of the day of the Time of Purchase, (i) confirming that they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (ii) stating that in their opinion the financial statements audited by them and included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement complied as to form in all material respects with the then applicable accounting requirements of the Commission, including the applicable published rules and regulations of the Commission and (iii) covering as of a date not more than five business days prior to the day of the Time of Purchase such other matters as the Representative reasonably requests.

(d)  That no amendment to the Registration Statement and that no prospectus or prospectus supplement of the Company relating to the [Unsecured Notes] and no document which would be deemed incorporated in the Prospectus by reference filed subsequent to the date hereof and prior to the Time of Purchase shall contain material information substantially different from that contained in the Registration Statement which is unsatisfactory in substance to the Representative or unsatisfactory in form to Dewey Ballantine LLP, counsel to the Underwriters.

(e)  That, at the Time of Purchase, prior to the Time of Purchase, no stop order with respect to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the Act by the Commission or proceedings therefor initiated.

(f)  That, at the Time of Purchase, there shall not have been any material adverse change in the business, properties or financial condition of the Company from that set forth in the Prospectus (other than changes referred to in or contemplated by the Prospectus), and that the Company shall, at the Time of Purchase, have delivered to the Representative a certificate of an executive officer of the Company to the effect that, to the best of his knowledge, information and belief, there has been no such change.

(g)  That the Company shall have performed such of its obligations under this Agreement as are to be performed at or before the Time of Purchase by the terms hereof.

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4.  Certain Covenants of the Company: In further consideration of the agreements of the Underwriters herein contained, the Company covenants as follows:

(a)  As soon as practicable, and in any event within the time prescribed by Rule 424 under the Act, to file any Prospectus Supplement relating to the [Unsecured Notes] with the Commission; as soon as the Company is advised thereof, to advise the Representative and confirm the advice in writing of any request made by the Commission for amendments to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for additional information with respect thereto or of the entry of a stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of the initiation or threat of any proceedings for that purpose and, if such a stop order should be entered by the Commission, to make every reason-able effort to obtain the prompt lifting or removal thereof.

(b)  To deliver to the Underwriters, without charge, as soon as practicable (and in any event within 24 hours after the date hereof), and from time to time thereafter during such period of time (not exceeding nine months) after the date hereof as they are required by law to deliver a prospectus, as many copies of the Prospectus (as supplemented or amended if the Company shall have made any supplements or amendments thereto) as the Representative may reasonably request; and in case any Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus after the expiration of nine months after the date hereof, to furnish to any Underwriter, upon request, at the expense of such Underwriter, a reasonable quantity of a supplemental prospectus or of supplements to the Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act.

(c)  To furnish to the Representative a copy, certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, of the Registration Statement as initially filed with the Commission and of all amendments thereto (exclusive of exhibits), and, upon request, to furnish to the Representative sufficient plain copies thereof (exclusive of exhibits) for distribution of one to the other Underwriters.

(d)  For such period of time (not exceeding nine months) after the date hereof as they are required by law to deliver a prospectus, if any event shall have occurred as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or not omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, forthwith to prepare and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to dealers (whose names and addresses are furnished to the Company by the Representative) to whom principal amounts of the [Unsecured Notes] may have been sold by the Representative for the accounts of the Underwriters and, upon request, to

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any other dealers making such request, copies of such amendments to the Prospectus or supplements to the Prospectus.

(e)  As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Underwriters an earnings statement or statement of the Company and its subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 under the Act.

(f)  To use its best efforts to qualify the [Unsecured Notes] for offer and sale under the securities or “blue sky” laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may designate within six months after the date hereof and itself to pay, or to reimburse the Underwriters and their counsel for, reasonable filing fees and expenses in connection therewith in an amount not exceeding $3,500 in the aggregate (including filing fees and expenses paid and incurred prior to the effective date hereof), provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a consent to service of process or to file annual reports or to comply with any other requirements deemed by the Company to be unduly burdensome.

(g)  To pay all expenses, fees and taxes (other than transfer taxes on resales of the [Unsecured Notes] by the respective Underwriters) in connection with the issuance and delivery of the [Unsecured Notes], except that the Company shall be required to pay the fees and disbursements (other than disbursements referred to in paragraph (f) of this Section 4) of Dewey Ballantine LLP, counsel to the Underwriters, only in the events provided in paragraph (h) of this Section 4, the Underwriters hereby agreeing to pay such fees and disbursements in any other event.

(h)  If the Underwriters shall not take up and pay for the [Unsecured Notes] due to the failure of the Company to comply with any of the conditions specified in Section 3 hereof, or, if this Agreement shall be terminated in accordance with the provisions of Section 7 or 8 hereof, to pay the fees and disbursements of Dewey Ballantine LLP, counsel to the Underwriters, and, if the Underwriters shall not take up and pay for the [Unsecured Notes] due to the failure of the Company to comply with any of the conditions specified in Section 3 hereof, to reimburse the Underwriters for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, in an aggregate amount not exceeding a total of $10,000, incurred in connection with the financing contemplated by this Agreement.

(i)  The Company will timely file any certificate required by the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 in connection with the sale of the [Unsecured Notes].

[(j)  The Company will use its best efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, the [Unsecured Notes] on the New York Stock Exchange.]

[(k)  During the period from the date hereof and continuing to and including the earlier of (i) the date which is after the Time of Purchase on which the distribution of the [Unsecured Notes] ceases, as determined by the Representative

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in its sole discretion, and (ii) the date which is 30 days after the Time of Purchase, the Company agrees not to offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any [Unsecured Notes] of the Company or any substantially similar securities of the Company without the consent of the Representative.]

5.  Warranties of and Indemnity by the Company: The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with you, as set forth below:

(a)  the Registration Statement on its effective date complied, or was deemed to comply, with the applicable provisions of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission and the Registration Statement at its effective date did not, and at the Time of Purchase will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and the Basic Prospectus at the time that the Registration Statement became effective, and the Prospectus when first filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) complies, and at the Time of Purchase the Prospectus will comply, with the applicable provisions of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission, the Basic Prospectus at the time that the Registration Statement became effective, and the Prospectus when first filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) did not, and the Prospectus at the Time of Purchase will not, contain any untrue state-ment of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the Company makes no warranty or representation to the Underwriters with respect to any statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement or Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by, or through the Representative on behalf of, any Underwriter expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus or Prospectus, or to any statements in or omissions from that part of the Registration Statement that shall constitute the Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 of any indenture trustee under an indenture of the Company.

(b)  As of the Time of Purchase, the Indenture will have been duly authorized by the Company and duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and, when executed and delivered by the Trustee and the Company, will constitute a legal, valid and binding instrument enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms and such [Unsecured Notes] will have been duly authorized, executed, authenticated and, when paid for by the purchasers thereof, will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of the Indenture, except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights in general, and except as the availability of the remedy of specific performance is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether such remedy is sought in a proceeding in equity or at law), and by an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

(c)  To the extent permitted by law, to indemnify and hold you harmless and each person, if any, who controls you within the meaning of Section 15 of the

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Act, against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which you, they or any of you or them may become subject under the Act or otherwise, and to reimburse you and such controlling person or persons, if any, for any legal or other expenses incurred by you or them in connection with defending any action, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions arise out of or are based upon any alleged untrue statement or untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, in the Basic Prospectus, or in the Prospectus, or if the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to you any amendments or any supplemental information, in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented other than amendments or supplements relating solely to securities other than the Notes (provided that if such Prospectus or such Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, is used after the period of time referred to in Section 4(b) hereof, it shall contain such amendments or supplements as the Company deems necessary to comply with Section 10(a) of the Act), or arise out of or are based upon any alleged omission or omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions arise out of or are based upon any such alleged untrue statement or omission, or untrue statement or omission which was made in the Registration Statement, in the Basic Prospectus or in the Prospectus, or in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented, in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or through you expressly for use therein or with any statements in or omissions from that part of the Registration Statement that shall constitute the Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act, of any indenture trustee under an indenture of the Company, and except that this indemnity shall not inure to your benefit (or of any person controlling you) on account of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions arising from the sale of the Notes to any person if such loss arises from the fact that a copy of the Prospectus, as the same may then be supplemented or amended to the extent such Prospectus was provided to you by the Company (excluding, however, any document then incorporated or deemed incorporated therein by reference), was not sent or given by you to such person with or prior to the written confirmation of the sale involved and the alleged omission or alleged untrue statement or omission or untrue statement was corrected in the Prospectus as supplemented or amended at the time of such confirmation, and such Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, was timely delivered to you by the Company. You agree promptly after the receipt by you of written notice of the commencement of any action in respect to which indemnity from the Company on account of its agreement contained in this Section 5(c) may be sought by you, or by any person controlling you, to notify the Company in writing of the commencement thereof, but your omission so to notify the Company of any such action shall not release the Company from any liability which it may have to you or to such controlling person otherwise than on account of the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 8(a). In case any such action shall be brought against you or any such person controlling you and you shall notify the Company of the commencement thereof, as above provided, the Company shall be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall wish, including the selection of counsel (such counsel to be reasonably acceptable to the indemnified party), to direct the defense thereof at its own expense. In case the Company elects to direct such defense and select such counsel (hereinafter, “Company’s counsel”), you or

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any controlling person shall have the right to employ your own counsel, but, in any such case, the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at your expense unless (i) the Company has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses or (ii) the named parties to any such action (including any impleaded parties) include both you or any controlling person and the Company and you or any controlling person shall have been advised by your counsel that a conflict of interest between the Company and you or any controlling person may arise (and the Company’s counsel shall have concurred in good faith with such advice) and for this reason it is not desirable for the Company’s counsel to represent both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party (it being understood, however, that the Company shall not, in connection with any one such action or separate but substantially similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys for you or any controlling person (plus any local counsel retained by you or any controlling person in their reasonable judgment), which firm (or firms) shall be designated in writing by you or any controlling person). No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification could be sought under this Section 5 (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party. In no event shall any indemnifying party have any liability or responsibility in respect of the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim effected without its prior written consent.

(d)  The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, when they were filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and as of such time of filing, when read together with the Prospectus, none of such documents contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(e)  Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, there has been no material adverse change in the business, properties or financial condition of the Company.

(f)  This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(g)  The consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated herein will not conflict with, or result in a breach of any of the terms

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or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company under any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it may be bound or to which any of its properties may be subject (except for conflicts, breaches or defaults which would not, individually or in the aggregate, be materially adverse to the Company or materially adverse to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.)

(h)  No authorization, approval, consent or order of any court or governmental authority or agency is necessary in connection with the issuance and sale by the Company of the Notes or the transactions by the Company contemplated in this Agreement, except (A) such as may be required under the 1933 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder; (B) such as may be required under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended (the “1935 Act”); (C) the qualification of the Indenture under the 1939 Act; and (D) such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws.

The Company’s indemnity agreement contained in Section 5(c) hereof, and its covenants, warranties and representations contained in this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any person, and shall survive the delivery of and payment for the [Unsecured Notes] hereunder.

6.  Warranties of and Indemnity by Underwriters:

(a)  Each Underwriter warrants and represents that the information furnished in writing to the Company through the Representative for use in the Registration Statement, in the Basic Prospectus, in the Prospectus, or in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented is correct as to such Underwriter.

(b)  Each Underwriter agrees, to the extent permitted by law, to indemnify, hold harmless and reimburse the Company, its directors and such of its officers as shall have signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act, to the same extent and upon the same terms as the indemnity agreement of the Company set forth in Section 5(c) hereof, but only with respect to untrue statements or alleged untrue statements or omissions or alleged omissions made in the Registration Statement, or in the Basic Prospectus, or in the Prospectus, or in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented, in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by the Representative on behalf of such Underwriter expressly for use therein. The Company agrees promptly after the receipt by it of written notice of the commencement of any action in respect to which indemnity from you on account of your agreement contained in this Section 6(b) may be sought by the Company, or by any person controlling the Company, to notify you in writing of the commencement thereof, but the Company’s omission so to notify you of any such action shall not release you from any liability which you may have to the Company or to such controlling person otherwise than on account of the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6(b).

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The indemnity agreement on the part of each Underwriter contained in Section 6(b) hereof, and the warranties and representations of such Underwriter contained in this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or other person, and shall survive the delivery of and payment for the [Unsecured Notes] hereunder.

7.  Default of Underwriters: If any Underwriter under this Agreement shall fail or refuse (otherwise than for some reason sufficient to justify, in accordance with the terms hereof, the cancellation or termination of its obligations hereunder) to purchase and pay for the principal amount of [Unsecured Notes] which it has agreed to purchase and pay for hereunder, and the aggregate principal amount of [Unsecured Notes] which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate principal amount of the [Unsecured Notes], the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions which the amounts of [Unsecured Notes] set forth opposite their names in Exhibit 1 hereto bear to the aggregate principal amount of [Unsecured Notes] set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, to purchase the [Unsecured Notes] which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on the terms set forth herein; provided that in no event shall the principal amount of [Unsecured Notes] which any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to Section 1 hereof be increased pursuant to this Section 7 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such principal amount of [Unsecured Notes] without the written consent of such Underwriter. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase [Unsecured Notes] and the aggregate principal amount of [Unsecured Notes] with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate principal amount of the [Unsecured Notes] then this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any defaulting Underwriter; provided, however, that the non-defaulting Underwriters may agree, in their sole discretion, to purchase the [Unsecured Notes] which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on the terms set forth herein. In the event the Company shall be entitled to but shall not elect (within the time period specified above) to exercise its rights under clause (a) and/or (b), then this Agreement shall terminate. In the event of any such termination, the Company shall not be under any liability to any Underwriter (except to the extent, if any, provided in Section 4(h) hereof), nor shall any Underwriter (other than an Underwriter who shall have failed or refused to purchase the [Unsecured Notes] without some reason sufficient to justify, in accordance with the terms hereof, its termination of its obligations hereunder) be under any liability to the Company or any other Underwriter.

Nothing herein contained shall release any defaulting Underwriter from its liability to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.

8.  Termination of Agreement by the Underwriters: This Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the Time of Purchase by the Representative if, after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Time of Purchase, in the Representative’s reasonable judgment, the Underwriters’ ability to market the [Unsecured Notes] shall have been materially adversely affected because:

(i)  trading in securities on the New York Stock Exchange shall have been generally suspended by the Commission or by the New York Stock Exchange, or

(ii)  (A) a war involving the United States of America shall have been declared, (B) any other national calamity shall have occurred, or (C) any conflict involving the armed services of the United States of America shall have escalated, or

(iii)   a general banking moratorium shall have been declared by Federal or New York State authorities, or

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(iv)  there shall have been any decrease in the ratings of the Company’s first mortgage bonds by Moody’s Investors Services, Inc. (Moody’s) or Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group (S&P) or either Moody’s or S&P shall publicly announce that it has such first mortgage bonds under consideration for possible downgrade.

If the Representative elects to terminate this Agreement, as provided in this Section 8, the Representative will promptly notify the Company by telephone or by telex or facsimile transmission, confirmed in writing. If this Agreement shall not be carried out by any Underwriter for any reason permitted hereunder, or if the sale of the [Unsecured Notes] to the Underwriters as herein contemplated shall not be carried out because the Company is not able to comply with the terms hereof, the Company shall not be under any obligation under this Agreement and shall not be liable to any Underwriter or to any member of any selling group for the loss of anticipated profits from the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (except that the Company shall remain liable to the extent provided in Section 4(h) hereof) and the Underwriters shall be under no liability to the Company nor be under any liability under this Agreement to one another.

9.  Notices: All notices hereunder shall, unless otherwise expressly provided, be in writing and be delivered at or mailed to the following addresses or by telex or facsimile transmission confirmed in writing to the following addresses: if to the Underwriters, to _______________________________________________________________, as Representative, _____________________________________________, and, if to the Company, to American Electric Power Company, Inc., c/o American Electric Power Service Corporation, 1 Riverside Plaza, Columbus, Ohio 43215, attention of Treasurer, (fax 614/716-1687).

10.  Parties in Interest: The agreement herein set forth has been and is made solely for the benefit of the Underwriters, the Company (including the directors thereof and such of the officers thereof as shall have signed the Registration Statement), the controlling persons, if any, referred to in Sections 5 and 6 hereof, and their respective successors, assigns, executors and administrators, and, except as expressly otherwise provided in Section 7 hereof, no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by the virtue of this Agreement.

11.  Definition of Certain Terms: If there be two or more persons, firms or corporations named in Exhibit 1 hereto, the term “Underwriters”, as used herein, shall be deemed to mean the several persons, firms or corporations, so named (including the Representative herein mentioned, if so named) and any party or parties substituted pursuant to Section 7 hereof, and the term “Representative”, as used herein, shall be deemed to mean the representative or representatives designated by, or in the manner authorized by, the Underwriters. All obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are several and not joint. If there shall be only one person, firm or corporation named in Exhibit 1 hereto, the term “Underwriters” and the term “Representative”, as used herein, shall mean such person, firm or corporation. The term “successors” as used in this Agreement shall not include any purchaser, as such purchaser, of any of the [Unsecured Notes] from any of the respective Underwriters.

12.  Conditions of the Company’s Obligations: The obligations of the Company hereunder are subject to the Underwriters’ performance of their obligations hereunder.

13.  Applicable Law: This Agreement will be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

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14.  Execution of Counterparts: This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be regarded as an original and all of which shall constitute one and the same document.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized, on the date first above written.

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EXHIBIT 1

Exhibit 1(b)

AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY, INC.

Underwriting Agreement

Dated ____________________

AGREEMENT made between AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY, INC., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York (the “Company”), and the several persons, firms and corporations (the “Underwriters”) named in Exhibit 1 hereto.

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, the Company proposes to issue and sell __________ shares of its [Common Stock]; and

WHEREAS, the Underwriters have designated the person signing this Agreement (the Representative) to execute this Agreement on behalf of the respective Underwriters and to act for the respective Underwriters in the manner provided in this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, the Company has prepared and filed, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 (the Act), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission), a registration statement and prospectus or prospectuses relating to the [Common Stock] and such registration statement has become effective; and

WHEREAS, such registration statement, as it may have been amended to the date hereof, including the financial statements, the documents incorporated or deemed incorporated therein by reference and the exhibits, being herein called the Registration Statement, and the prospectus, as included or referred to in the Registration Statement to become effective, as it may be last amended or supplemented prior to the effectiveness of the agreement (the Basic Prospectus), and the Basic Prospectus, as supplemented by one or more prospectus supplements which includes certain information relating to the Underwriters, the number of shares, price and terms of offering, the interest rate and redemption prices of the [Common Stock], first filed with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) of the Commission’s General Rules and Regulations under the Act (the Rules), including all documents then incorporated or deemed to have been incorporated therein by reference, being herein call the Prospectus.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants herein contained, it is agreed between the parties as follows:

1.  Purchase and Sale: Upon the basis of the warranties and representations and on the terms and subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to the respective Underwriters named in Exhibit 1 hereto, severally and not jointly, and the respective Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase from the Company, the respective number of shares of

the [Common Stock] set opposite their names in Exhibit 1 hereto, together aggregating all of the [Common Stock] issued under the above-referenced Registration Statement, at a price equal to $______ per share.

2.  Payment and Delivery: Payment for the [Common Stock] shall be made to the Company or its order by certified or bank check or checks, payable in New York Clearing House funds, at the office of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, 425 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017-3909, or at such other place as the Company and the Representative shall mutually agree in writing, upon the delivery of the [Common Stock] certificates to the Representative for the respective accounts of the Underwriters against receipt therefor signed by the Representative on behalf of itself and for the other Underwriters. Such payments and delivery shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York Time, on _______________ (or on such later business day, not more than five business days subsequent to such day, as may be mutually agreed upon by the Company and the Underwriters), unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 7 hereof. The time at which payment and delivery are to be made is herein called the Time of Purchase.

[The delivery of the [Common Stock] certificates shall be made in fully registered form, registered in the name of CEDE & CO., to the offices of The Depository Trust Company in New York, New York and the Underwriters shall accept such delivery.]

3.  Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations: The several obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the warranties and representations on the part of the Company on the date hereof and at the Time of Purchase and to the following other conditions:

(a)  That all legal proceedings to be taken and all legal opinions to be rendered in connection with the issue and sale of the [Common Stock] shall be satisfactory in form and substance to Dewey Ballantine LLP, counsel to the Underwriters.

(b)  That, at the Time of Purchase, the Representative shall be furnished with the following opinions, dated the day of the Time of Purchase, with conformed copies or signed counterparts thereof for the other Underwriters, with such changes therein as may be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative with the approval of Dewey Ballantine LLP, counsel to the Underwriters:

(1)  Opinion of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and any of Thomas G. Berkemeyer, Esq., Ann B. Graf, Esq., David C. House, Esq., William E. Johnson, Esq. or Kevin R. Fease, Esq., counsel to the Company, substantially in the forms attached hereto as Exhibits A and B; and

(2)  Opinion of Dewey Ballantine LLP, counsel to the Underwriters, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C.

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(c)  That the Representative shall have received a letter from Deloitte & Touche LLP in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, dated as of the day of the Time of Purchase, (i) confirming that they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (ii) stating that in their opinion the financial statements audited by them and included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement complied as to form in all material respects with the then applicable accounting requirements of the Commission, including the applicable published rules and regulations of the Commission and (iii) covering as of a date not more than five business days prior to the day of the Time of Purchase such other matters as the Representative reasonably requests.

(d)  That no amendment to the Registration Statement and that no prospectus or prospectus supplement of the Company relating to the [Common Stock] and no document which would be deemed incorporated in the Prospectus by reference filed subsequent to the date hereof and prior to the Time of Purchase shall contain material information substantially different from that contained in the Registration Statement which is unsatisfactory in substance to the Representative or unsatisfactory in form to Dewey Ballantine LLP, counsel to the Underwriters.

(e)  That, at the Time of Purchase, prior to the Time of Purchase, no stop order with respect to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the Act by the Commission or proceedings therefor initiated.

(f)  That, at the Time of Purchase, there shall not have been any material adverse change in the business, properties or financial condition of the Company from that set forth in the Prospectus (other than changes referred to in or contemplated by the Prospectus), and that the Company shall, at the Time of Purchase, have delivered to the Representative a certificate of an executive officer of the Company to the effect that, to the best of his knowledge, information and belief, there has been no such change.

(g)  That the Company shall have performed such of its obligations under this Agreement as are to be performed at or before the Time of Purchase by the terms hereof.

4.  Certain Covenants of the Company: In further consideration of the agreements of the Underwriters herein contained, the Company covenants as follows:

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(a)  As soon as practicable, and in any event within the time prescribed by Rule 424 under the Act, to file any Prospectus Supplement relating to the [Common Stock] with the Commission; as soon as the Company is advised thereof, to advise the Representative and confirm the advice in writing of any request made by the Commission for amendments to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for additional information with respect thereto or of the entry of a stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of the initiation or threat of any proceedings for that purpose and, if such a stop order should be entered by the Commission, to make every reason-able effort to obtain the prompt lifting or removal thereof.

(b)  To deliver to the Underwriters, without charge, as soon as practicable (and in any event within 24 hours after the date hereof), and from time to time thereafter during such period of time (not exceeding nine months) after the date hereof as they are required by law to deliver a prospectus, as many copies of the Prospectus (as supplemented or amended if the Company shall have made any supplements or amendments thereto) as the Representative may reasonably request; and in case any Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus after the expiration of nine months after the date hereof, to furnish to any Underwriter, upon request, at the expense of such Underwriter, a reasonable quantity of a supplemental prospectus or of supplements to the Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act.

(c)  To furnish to the Representative a copy, certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, of the Registration Statement as initially filed with the Commission and of all amendments thereto (exclusive of exhibits), and, upon request, to furnish to the Representative sufficient plain copies thereof (exclusive of exhibits) for distribution of one to the other Underwriters.

(d)  For such period of time (not exceeding nine months) after the date hereof as they are required by law to deliver a prospectus, if any event shall have occurred as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or not omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, forthwith to prepare and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to dealers (whose names and addresses are furnished to the Company by the Representative) to whom shares of the [Common Stock] may have been sold by the Representative for the accounts of the Underwriters and, upon request, to any other dealers making such request, copies of such amendments to the Prospectus or supplements to the Prospectus.

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(e)  As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Underwriters an earnings statement or statement of the Company and its subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 under the Act.

(f)  To use its best efforts to qualify the [Common Stock] for offer and sale under the securities or “blue sky” laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may designate within six months after the date hereof and itself to pay, or to reimburse the Underwriters and their counsel for, reasonable filing fees and expenses in connection therewith in an amount not exceeding $3,500 in the aggregate (including filing fees and expenses paid and incurred prior to the effective date hereof), provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a consent to service of process or to file annual reports or to comply with any other requirements deemed by the Company to be unduly burdensome.

(g)  To pay all expenses, fees and taxes (other than transfer taxes on resales of the [Common Stock] by the respective Underwriters) in connection with the issuance and delivery of the [Common Stock], except that the Company shall be required to pay the fees and disbursements (other than disbursements referred to in paragraph (f) of this Section 4) of Dewey Ballantine LLP, counsel to the Underwriters, only in the events provided in paragraph (h) of this Section 4, the Underwriters hereby agreeing to pay such fees and disbursements in any other event.

(h)  If the Underwriters shall not take up and pay for the [Common Stock] due to the failure of the Company to comply with any of the conditions specified in Section 3 hereof, or, if this Agreement shall be terminated in accordance with the provisions of Section 7 or 8 hereof, to pay the fees and disbursements of Dewey Ballantine LLP, counsel to the Underwriters, and, if the Underwriters shall not take up and pay for the [Common Stock] due to the failure of the Company to comply with any of the conditions specified in Section 3 hereof, to reimburse the Underwriters for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, in an aggregate amount not exceeding a total of $10,000, incurred in connection with the financing contemplated by this Agreement.

(i)  The Company will timely file any certificate required by the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 in connection with the sale of the [Common Stock].

[(j)   The Company will use its best efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, the [Common Stock] on the New York Stock Exchange.]

[(k)   During the period from the date hereof and continuing to and including the earlier of (i) the date which is after the Time of Purchase on

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which the distribution of the [Common Stock] ceases, as determined by the Representative in its sole discretion, and (ii) the date which is 30 days after the Time of Purchase, the Company agrees not to offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any [Common Stock] of the Company or any substantially similar securities of the Company without the consent of the Representative.]

5.  Warranties of and Indemnity by the Company: The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with you, as set forth below:

(a)  the Registration Statement on its effective date complied, or was deemed to comply, with the applicable provisions of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission and the Registration Statement at its effective date did not, and at the Time of Purchase will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and the Basic Prospectus at the time that the Registration Statement became effective, and the Prospectus when first filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) complies, and at the Time of Purchase the Prospectus will comply, with the applicable provisions of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission, the Basic Prospectus at the time that the Registration Statement became effective, and the Prospectus when first filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) did not, and the Prospectus at the Time of Purchase will not, contain any untrue state-ment of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the Company makes no warranty or representation to the Underwriters with respect to any statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement or Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by, or through the Representative on behalf of, any Underwriter expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus or Prospectus, or to any statements in or omissions from that part of the Registration Statement that shall constitute the Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 of any indenture trustee under an indenture of the Company.

(b)  To the extent permitted by law, to indemnify and hold you harmless and each person, if any, who controls you within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act, against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which you, they or any of you or them may become subject under the Act or otherwise, and to reimburse you and such controlling person or persons, if any, for any legal or other expenses incurred by you or them in connection with defending any action, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions arise out of or are based upon any alleged untrue statement or untrue statement of a material fact contained

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in the Registration Statement, in the Basic Prospectus, or in the Prospectus, or if the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to you any amendments or any supplemental information, in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented other than amendments or supplements relating solely to securities other than the Common Stock (provided that if such Prospectus or such Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, is used after the period of time referred to in Section 4(b) hereof, it shall contain such amendments or supplements as the Company deems necessary to comply with Section 10(a) of the Act), or arise out of or are based upon any alleged omission or omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions arise out of or are based upon any such alleged untrue statement or omission, or untrue statement or omission which was made in the Registration Statement, in the Basic Prospectus or in the Prospectus, or in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented, in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or through you expressly for use therein, and except that this indemnity shall not inure to your benefit (or of any person controlling you) on account of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions arising from the sale of the Common Stock to any person if such loss arises from the fact that a copy of the Prospectus, as the same may then be supplemented or amended to the extent such Prospectus was provided to you by the Company (excluding, however, any document then incorporated or deemed incorporated therein by reference), was not sent or given by you to such person with or prior to the written confirmation of the sale involved and the alleged omission or alleged untrue statement or omission or untrue statement was corrected in the Prospectus as supplemented or amended at the time of such confirmation, and such Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, was timely delivered to you by the Company. You agree promptly after the receipt by you of written notice of the commencement of any action in respect to which indemnity from the Company on account of its agreement contained in this Section 5(c) may be sought by you, or by any person controlling you, to notify the Company in writing of the commencement thereof, but your omission so to notify the Company of any such action shall not release the Company from any liability which it may have to you or to such controlling person otherwise than on account of the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 8(a). In case any such action shall be brought against you or any such person controlling you and you shall notify the Company of the commencement thereof, as above provided, the Company shall be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall wish, including the selection of counsel (such counsel to be reasonably acceptable to the indemnified party), to direct the defense thereof at its own expense. In case the Company elects to direct such defense and select such counsel (hereinafter, “Company’s counsel”), you or any controlling person shall have the right to employ your own counsel, but, in any such case, the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be

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at your expense unless (i) the Company has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses or (ii) the named parties to any such action (including any impleaded parties) include both you or any controlling person and the Company and you or any controlling person shall have been advised by your counsel that a conflict of interest between the Company and you or any controlling person may arise (and the Company’s counsel shall have concurred in good faith with such advice) and for this reason it is not desirable for the Company’s counsel to represent both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party (it being understood, however, that the Company shall not, in connection with any one such action or separate but substantially similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys for you or any controlling person (plus any local counsel retained by you or any controlling person in their reasonable judgment), which firm (or firms) shall be designated in writing by you or any controlling person). No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification could be sought under this Section 5 (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party. In no event shall any indemnifying party have any liability or responsibility in respect of the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim effected without its prior written consent.

(c)  The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, when they were filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and as of such time of filing, when read together with the Prospectus, none of such documents contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(d)  Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, there has been no material adverse change in the business, properties or financial condition of the Company.

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(e)  This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(f)  The consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated herein will not conflict with, or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company under any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it may be bound or to which any of its properties may be subject (except for conflicts, breaches or defaults which would not, individually or in the aggregate, be materially adverse to the Company or materially adverse to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.)

(g)  No authorization, approval, consent or order of any court or governmental authority or agency is necessary in connection with the issuance and sale by the Company of the Notes or the transactions by the Company contemplated in this Agreement, except (A) such as may be required under the 1933 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder; (B) such as may be required under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended (the “1935 Act”); and (C) such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws.

The Company’s indemnity agreement contained in Section 5(c) hereof, and its covenants, warranties and representations contained in this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any person, and shall survive the delivery of and payment for the [Common Stock] hereunder.

6.  Warranties of and Indemnity by Underwriters:

(a)  Each Underwriter warrants and represents that the information furnished in writing to the Company through the Representative for use in the Registration Statement, in the Basic Prospectus, in the Prospectus, or in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented is correct as to such Underwriter.

(b)  Each Underwriter agrees, to the extent permitted by law, to indemnify, hold harmless and reimburse the Company, its directors and such of its officers as shall have signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act, to the same extent and upon the same terms as the indemnity agreement of the Company set forth in Section 5(c) hereof, but only with respect to untrue statements or alleged untrue statements or omissions or alleged omissions made in the Registration Statement, or in the Basic

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Prospectus, or in the Prospectus, or in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented, in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by the Representative on behalf of such Underwriter expressly for use therein. The Company agrees promptly after the receipt by it of written notice of the commencement of any action in respect to which indemnity from you on account of your agreement contained in this Section 6(b) may be sought by the Company, or by any person controlling the Company, to notify you in writing of the commencement thereof, but the Company’s omission so to notify you of any such action shall not release you from any liability which you may have to the Company or to such controlling person otherwise than on account of the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6(b).

The indemnity agreement on the part of each Underwriter contained in Section 6(b) hereof, and the warranties and representations of such Underwriter contained in this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or other person, and shall survive the delivery of and payment for the [Common Stock] hereunder.

7.  Default of Underwriters: If any Underwriter under this Agreement shall fail or refuse (otherwise than for some reason sufficient to justify, in accordance with the terms hereof, the cancellation or termination of its obligations hereunder) to purchase and pay for the shares of [Common Stock] which it has agreed to purchase and pay for hereunder, and the aggregate number of shares of [Common Stock] which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of shares of the [Common Stock], the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions which the shares of [Common Stock] set forth opposite their names in Exhibit 1 hereto bear to the aggregate number of shares of [Common Stock] set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, to purchase the [Common Stock] which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on the terms set forth herein; provided that in no event shall the number of shares of [Common Stock] which any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to Section 1 hereof be increased pursuant to this Section 7 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such principal amount of [Common Stock] without the written consent of such Underwriter. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase [Common Stock] and the aggregate number of shares of [Common Stock] with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of shares of the [Common Stock] then this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any defaulting Underwriter; provided, however, that the non-defaulting Underwriters may agree, in their sole discretion, to purchase the [Common Stock] which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on the terms set forth herein. In the event the Company shall be entitled to but shall not elect (within the time period specified above) to exercise its rights under clause (a) and/or (b), then this Agreement shall terminate. In the event of any such termination, the Company shall not be under any liability to any Underwriter (except to the extent, if any, provided in Section 4(h) hereof), nor shall any Underwriter (other than an Underwriter who shall have failed or refused to purchase the [Common Stock] without some reason sufficient to justify, in accordance with the terms hereof, its termination of its obligations hereunder) be under any liability to the Company or any other Underwriter.

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Nothing herein contained shall release any defaulting Underwriter from its liability to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.

8.  Termination of Agreement by the Underwriters: This Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the Time of Purchase by the Representative if, after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Time of Purchase, in the Representative’s reasonable judgment, the Underwriters’ ability to market the [Common Stock] shall have been materially adversely affected because:

(i)  trading in securities on the New York Stock Exchange shall have been generally suspended by the Commission or by the New York Stock Exchange, or

(ii)  (A)  a war involving the United States of America shall have been declared, (B) any other national calamity shall have occurred, or (C) any conflict involving the armed services of the United States of America shall have escalated, or

(iii)  a general banking moratorium shall have been declared by Federal or New York State authorities, or

(iv)  there shall have been any decrease in the ratings of the Company’s first mortgage bonds by Moody’s Investors Services, Inc. (Moody’s) or Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group (S&P) or either Moody’s or S&P shall publicly announce that it has such first mortgage bonds under consideration for possible downgrade.

If the Representative elects to terminate this Agreement, as provided in this Section 8, the Representative will promptly notify the Company by telephone or by telex or facsimile transmission, confirmed in writing. If this Agreement shall not be carried out by any Underwriter for any reason permitted hereunder, or if the sale of the [Common Stock] to the Underwriters as herein contemplated shall not be carried out because the Company is not able to comply with the terms hereof, the Company shall not be under any obligation under this Agreement and shall not be liable to any Underwriter or to any member of any selling group for the loss of anticipated profits from the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (except that the Company shall remain liable to the extent provided in Section 4(h) hereof) and the Underwriters shall be under no liability to the Company nor be under any liability under this Agreement to one another.

9.  Notices: All notices hereunder shall, unless otherwise expressly provided, be in writing and be delivered at or mailed to the following addresses or by telex or facsimile transmission confirmed in writing to the following addresses: if to the Underwriters, to _______________________________________________________________, as Representative, _____________________________________________, and, if to the Company, to American Electric Power Company, Inc., c/o American Electric Power Service Corporation, 1 Riverside Plaza, Columbus, Ohio 43215, attention of Treasurer, (fax 614/716-1687).

10.   Parties in Interest: The agreement herein set forth has been and is made solely for the benefit of the Underwriters, the Company (including the directors thereof and such of the officers thereof as shall have signed the Registration Statement), the controlling persons, if any,

11

referred to in Sections 5 and 6 hereof, and their respective successors, assigns, executors and administrators, and, except as expressly otherwise provided in Section 7 hereof, no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by the virtue of this Agreement.

11.  Definition of Certain Terms: If there be two or more persons, firms or corporations named in Exhibit 1 hereto, the term “Underwriters”, as used herein, shall be deemed to mean the several persons, firms or corporations, so named (including the Representative herein mentioned, if so named) and any party or parties substituted pursuant to Section 7 hereof, and the term “Representative”, as used herein, shall be deemed to mean the representative or representatives designated by, or in the manner authorized by, the Underwriters. All obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are several and not joint. If there shall be only one person, firm or corporation named in Exhibit 1 hereto, the term “Underwriters” and the term “Representative”, as used herein, shall mean such person, firm or corporation. The term “successors” as used in this Agreement shall not include any purchaser, as such purchaser, of any of the [Common Stock] from any of the respective Underwriters.

12.  Conditions of the Company’s Obligations: The obligations of the Company hereunder are subject to the Underwriters’ performance of their obligations hereunder.

13.  Applicable Law: This Agreement will be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

14.  Execution of Counterparts: This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be regarded as an original and all of which shall constitute one and the same document.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized, on the date first above written.

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EXHIBIT 1

Exhibit 4(b)

[Date]

Company Order and Officers’ Certificate

_____ Senior Notes, Series __, due _____

The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee

2 North LaSalle Street, 7^th Floor

Chicago, Illinois 60602

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Pursuant to Article Two of the Indenture, dated as of May 1, 2001 (as it may be amended or supplemented, the “Indenture”), from American Electric Power Company, Inc. (the “Company”) to The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as successor to The Bank of New York, as trustee (the “Trustee”), and the Board Resolutions dated __________ ___, _____, a copy of which, as certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, is being delivered herewith under Section 2.01 of the Indenture, and unless otherwise provided in a subsequent Company Order pursuant to Section 2.04 of the Indenture,

1.  The Company’s _____ Senior Notes, Series __, due _____ (the “Notes”) are hereby established. The Notes shall be in substantially the forms attached hereto.

2.  The terms and characteristics of the Notes shall be as follows (the numbered clauses set forth below corresponding to the numbered subsections of Section 2.01 of the Indenture, with terms used and not defined herein having the meanings specified in the Indenture or in the Notes):

(i)  The aggregate principal amount of Notes which may be authenticated and delivered under the Indenture initially shall be limited to $____,000,000, except as contemplated in Section 2.01(i) of the Indenture and except that such principal amount may be increased from time to time; all Series __ Notes need not be issued at the same time and each such series may be reopened at any time, without the consent of any securityholder, for issuance of additional Notes, which Notes will have the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as those initially issued (other than the date of issuance, the issue price and, in some circumstances, the initial interest accrual date and initial interest payment date);

(ii)  The date on which the principal of the Notes shall be payable shall be __________ ___, 20___;

(iii)   Interest shall accrue from the date of authentication of the Notes; the Interest Payment Dates on which such interest will be payable shall be __________ ___ and __________ ___, and the Regular Record Date for the determination of holders to whom

interest is payable on any such Interest Payment Date shall be the __________ ___ or __________ ___ preceding the relevant Interest Payment Date; provided that the first Interest Payment Date shall be __________ ___, _____ and interest payable on the Stated Maturity Date or any Redemption Date shall be paid to the Person to whom principal shall be paid;

(iv)  The interest rate at which the Notes shall bear interest shall be ______ per annum;

(v)   The Notes may be redeemed by the Company at its option, in whole at any time or in part from time to time, upon not less than thirty but not more than sixty days’ prior notice given by mail to the registered owners of the Notes. At any time prior to __________ ___, _____ (the date that is three months prior to maturity (the “Early Call Date”)), the Notes may be redeemed either as a whole or in part at a redemption price equal to the greater of (1) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed and (2) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the Notes being redeemed that would be due if such Notes matured on the Early Call Date (excluding the portion of any such interest accrued to but excluding the date of redemption) discounted (for purposes of determining present value) to the redemption date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate (as defined below) plus ___ basis points, plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest thereon to but excluding the date of redemption.

At any time on or after the Early Call Date, the Company may redeem the Notes in whole or in part at 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to but excluding the date of redemption.

“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term (“remaining life”) of the Notes (assuming, for this purpose, that the Notes would mature on the Early Call Date) that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining life of the Notes.

“Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any redemption date, (1) the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date, after excluding the highest and lowest of such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (2) if the Company obtains fewer than four of such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such quotations.

“Independent Investment Banker” means one of the Reference Treasury Dealers appointed by the Company and notified by the Company to the Trustee.

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means a primary U.S. Government securities dealer or dealers selected by the Company and notified by the Company to the Trustee.

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“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by the Company and notified to the Trustee, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Company and the Trustee by such Reference Treasury Dealer at or before 3:30 p.m., New York City time, on the third Business Day preceding such redemption date.

“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption, the rate per annum equal to the semiannual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated using a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date.

(vi) (a) the Notes shall be issued in the form of book-entry notes represented by Global Notes; (b) the Depositary for such Global Notes shall be The Depository Trust Company; and (c) the procedures with respect to transfer and exchange of Global Notes shall be as set forth in the forms of Note attached hereto;

(vii)  the title of the Notes shall be “______ Senior Notes, Series ___, due _____”;

(viii)  the form of the Notes shall be as set forth in Paragraph 1, above;

(ix)   not applicable;

(x)   the Notes shall not be subject to a Periodic Offering;

(xi)  not applicable;

(xii)  not applicable;

(xiii) Company will pay the principal of the Notes and any premium and interest payable at redemption, if any, or at maturity in immediately available funds at the office of The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., 2 North LaSalle Street, 7^th Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60602;

(xiv) the Notes shall be issuable in denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof;

(xv)  not applicable;

(xvi) the Notes shall not be issued as Discount Securities;

(xvii) not applicable;

(xviii)  not applicable, and

(xix)  (A) Restrictive Covenants:

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Limitation upon Liens of Certain Subsidiaries

For so long as any Notes remain outstanding, the Company will not create or incur or allow any of its subsidiaries to create or incur any pledge or security interest on any of the capital stock of a Public Utility Subsidiary held by the Company or one of its subsidiaries or a Significant Subsidiary.

For purposes of this covenant:

(i)  Public Utility Subsidiary means, at any particular time, a direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company that, as a substantial part of its business, distributes or transmits electric energy to retail or wholesale customers at rates or tariffs that are regulated by either a state or Federal regulatory authority.

(ii)  Significant Subsidiary means, at any particular time, any direct subsidiary of the Company whose consolidated gross assets or consolidated gross revenues (having regard to the Company’s direct beneficial interest in the shares, or the like, of that subsidiary) represent at least 25% of the Company’s consolidated gross assets or consolidated gross revenues appearing in the most recent audited financial statements of the Company as of the date of determination.

Limitation upon Mergers, Consolidations and Sale of Assets

The provisions of Article Ten of the Indenture shall be applicable to the Notes.

(B) Waivers:

Waiver of Replacement Capital Covenant

The Notes will not be entitled to benefit in any way from the Replacement Capital Covenant, dated as of March 1, 2008, entered into by the Company in favor of certain holders of the Company’s debt, and subsequently amended by an amendment dated as of February 29, 2012 (as amended, the “Replacement Capital Covenant”). The Notes are not, and will never become, Eligible Debt or Covered Debt (as such terms are defined in the Replacement Capital Covenant), and the holders of the Notes are not, and will never be entitled to become, Covered Debtholders (as defined in the Replacement Capital Covenant). Any person purchasing or otherwise acquiring a Note or any interest in the Notes will be deemed to have agreed to this waiver of the Replacement Capital Covenant.

(xx)  Certain Tax Information.

In order to comply with applicable tax laws (inclusive of rules, regulations and interpretations promulgated by competent authorities) related to the Indenture, this Company Order and Officers’ Certificate and the Notes in effect from time to time (“Applicable Law”) that a foreign financial institution, issuer, trustee, paying agent or other party is or has agreed to be subject to, the Company agrees (i) to provide to the Trustee and any paying agent sufficient information about the parties and/or transactions (including any modification to the terms of such transactions) so the Trustee and any paying agent can determine whether it has tax related obligations under Applicable Law and (ii) that the Trustee and any paying agent shall be entitled to make any withholding or deduction from payments to the extent necessary to comply with Applicable Law for which the Trustee and any paying agent shall not have any liability.

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(i)  we have read the relevant portions of the Indenture, including without limitation the conditions precedent provided for therein relating to the action proposed to be taken by the Trustee as requested in this Company Order and Officers’ Certificate, and the definitions in the Indenture relating thereto;

(ii)   we have read the Board Resolutions of the Company and the Opinion of Counsel referred to above;

(iii)   we have conferred with other officers of the Company, have examined such records of the Company and have made such other investigation as we deemed relevant for purposes of this certificate;

(iv)   in our opinion, we have made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable us to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such conditions have been complied with; and

(v)   on the basis of the foregoing, we are of the opinion that all conditions precedent provided for in the Indenture relating to the action proposed to be taken by the Trustee as requested herein have been complied with.

Kindly acknowledge receipt of this Company Order and Officers’ Certificate, including the documents listed herein, and confirm the arrangements set forth herein by signing and returning the copy of this document attached hereto.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Instrument to be executed.

Acknowledged by Trustee:

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Trustee

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Exhibit 1

Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company (55 Water Street, New York, New York) to the issuer or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange or payment, and any certificate to be issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or in such other name as is requested by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company and any payment is made to Cede & Co., ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL inasmuch as the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein. Except as otherwise provided in Section 2.11 of the Indenture, this Security may be transferred, in whole but not in part, only to another nominee of the Depository or to a successor Depository or to a nominee of such successor Depository.

No. R1

AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY, INC.

_____ Senior Notes, Series __, due _____

AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY, INC., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York (herein referred to as the “Company”, which term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE & CO. or registered assigns, the Principal Amount specified above on the Stated Maturity specified above, and to pay interest on said Principal Amount from the Original Issue Date specified above or from the most recent interest payment date (each such date, an “Interest Payment Date”) to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually in arrears on __________ ___ and __________ ___ in each year, commencing on __________ ___, ____, at the Interest Rate per annum specified above, until the Principal Amount shall have been paid or duly provided for. Interest shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date, as provided in the Indenture, as hereinafter defined, shall be paid to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more Predecessor Securities) shall have been registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date with respect to such Interest Payment Date, which shall be the __________ 1 or __________ 1 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, immediately

prior to such Interest Payment Date, provided that interest payable on the Stated Maturity or any redemption date shall be paid to the Person to whom principal is paid. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and shall be paid as provided in said Indenture.

If any Interest Payment Date, any redemption date or Stated Maturity is not a Business Day, then payment of the amounts due on this Note on such date will be made on the next succeeding Business Day, and no interest shall accrue on such amounts for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, redemption date or Stated Maturity, as the case may be, with the same force and effect as if made on such date. The principal of (and premium, if any) and the interest on this Note shall be payable at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, the City of New York, New York, in any coin or currency of the United States of America which at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that payment of interest (other than interest payable on the Stated Maturity or any redemption date) may be made at the option of the Company by check mailed to the registered holder at such address as shall appear in the Security Register.

This Note is one of a duly authorized series of Notes of the Company (herein sometimes referred to as the “Notes”), specified in the Indenture, all issued or to be issued in one or more series under and pursuant to an Indenture dated as of May 1, 2001 duly executed and delivered between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., a national banking association formed under the laws of the United States, as successor to The Bank of New York, as Trustee (herein referred to as the “Trustee”) (such Indenture, as originally executed and delivered and as thereafter supplemented and amended being hereinafter referred to as the “Indenture”), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto or Company Orders reference is hereby made for a description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Trustee, the Company and the holders of the Notes. By the terms of the Indenture, the Notes are issuable in series which may vary as to amount, date of maturity, rate of interest and in other respects as in the Indenture provided. This Note is one of the series of Notes designated on the face hereof.

This Note may be redeemed by the Company at its option, in whole at any time or in part from time to time, upon not less than thirty but not more than sixty days’ prior notice given by mail to the registered owners of the Notes. At any time prior to __________ ___, _____ (the date that is three months prior to maturity (the “Early Call Date”)), the Notes may be redeemed either as a whole or in part at a redemption price equal to the greater of (1) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed and (2) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the Notes being redeemed that would be due if such Notes matured on the Early Call Date (excluding the portion of any such interest accrued to but excluding the date of redemption) discounted (for purposes of determining present value) to the redemption date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate (as defined below) plus ___ basis points, plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest thereon to but excluding the date of redemption.

At any time on or after the Early Call Date, the Company may redeem this Note in whole or in part at 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to but excluding the date of redemption.

2

“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term (“remaining life”) of the Notes (assuming, for this purpose, that the Notes would mature on the Early Call Date) that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining life of the Notes.

“Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any redemption date, (1) the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date, after excluding the highest and lowest of such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (2) if the Company obtains fewer than four of such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such quotations.

“Independent Investment Banker” means one of the Reference Treasury Dealers appointed by the Company and notified by the Company to the Trustee.

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means a primary U.S. Government securities dealer or dealers selected by the Company and notified by the Company to the Trustee.

“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by the Company and notified to the Trustee, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Company and the Trustee by such Reference Treasury Dealer at or before 3:30 p.m., New York City time, on the third Business Day preceding such redemption date.

“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption, the rate per annum equal to the semiannual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated using a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date.

The Company shall not be required to (i) issue, exchange or register the transfer of any Notes during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of the mailing of a notice of redemption of less than all the outstanding Notes of the same series and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, nor (ii) register the transfer of or exchange of any Notes of any series or portions thereof called for redemption. This Global Note is exchangeable for Notes in definitive registered form only under certain limited circumstances set forth in the Indenture.

In the event of redemption of this Note in part only, a new Note or Notes of this series, of like tenor, for the unredeemed portion hereof will be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the surrender of this Note.

In case an Event of Default, as defined in the Indenture, shall have occurred and be continuing, the principal of all of the Notes may be declared, and upon such declaration shall become, due and payable, in the manner, with the effect and subject to the conditions provided in the Indenture.

The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of the entire indebtedness of this Note upon compliance by the Company with certain conditions set forth therein.

As described in the Company Order and Officers’ Certificate, the Company is subject to a covenant regarding making certain tax information available to the Trustee and, so long as this Note is outstanding, the Company is subject to such other restrictive covenants and waivers as described therein.

3

The Indenture contains provisions permitting the Company and the Trustee, with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes of each series affected at the time outstanding voting as one class, as defined in the Indenture, to execute supplemental indentures for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of the Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of the Notes; provided, however, that no such supplemental indenture shall (i) extend the fixed maturity of any Notes of any series, or reduce the principal amount thereof, or reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of interest thereon, or reduce any premium payable upon the redemption thereof, or reduce the amount of the principal of a Discount Security that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to the Indenture, without the consent of the holder of each Note then outstanding and affected; (ii) reduce the aforesaid percentage of Notes, the holders of which are required to consent to any such supplemental indenture, or reduce the percentage of Notes, the holders of which are required to waive any default and its consequences, without the consent of the holder of each Note then outstanding and affected thereby; or (iii) modify any provision of Section 6.01(c) of the Indenture (except to increase the percentage of principal amount of securities required to rescind and annul any declaration of amounts due and payable under the Notes), without the consent of the holder of each Note then outstanding and affected thereby. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes of any series at the time outstanding affected thereby, on behalf of the Holders of the Notes of such series, to waive any past default in the performance of any of the covenants contained in the Indenture, or established pursuant to the Indenture with respect to such series, and its consequences, except a default in the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any of the Notes of such series. Any such consent or waiver by the registered Holder of this Note (unless revoked as pro-vided in the Indenture) shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders and owners of this Note and of any Note issued in exchange herefor or in place hereof (whether by registration of transfer or otherwise), irrespective of whether or not any notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Note.

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Note or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on this Note at the time and place and at the rate and in the money herein prescribed.

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, this Note is transferable by the registered holder hereof on the Security Register of the Company, upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company as may be designated by the Company accompanied by a written instrument or instruments of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company or the Trustee duly executed by the registered Holder hereof or his or her attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Notes of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount and series will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees. No service charge will be made for any such trans-fer, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in relation thereto.

Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of this Note, the Company, the Trustee, any paying agent and any Security Registrar may deem and treat the registered Holder hereof as the absolute owner hereof (whether or not this Note shall be overdue and notwithstanding any notice of ownership or writing hereon made by anyone other than the Security Registrar) for the purpose of receiving payment of or on account of the principal hereof and premium, if any, and interest due hereon and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any paying agent nor any Security Registrar shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

4

No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of or the interest on this Note, or for any claim based hereon, or otherwise in respect hereof, or based on or in respect of the Indenture, against any incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, past, present or future, as such, of the Company or of any predecessor or successor corporation, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise, all such liability being, by the acceptance hereof and as part of the consideration for the issuance hereof, expressly waived and released.

The Notes of this series are issuable only in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations, Notes of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Notes of this series of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

All terms used in this Note which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

This Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture hereinafter referred to, be valid or become obligatory for any purpose until the Certificate of Authentication hereon shall have been signed by or on behalf of the Trustee.

5

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Instrument to be executed.

6

CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Notes of the series of Notes designated in accordance with, and referred to in, the within-mentioned Indenture.

Dated: __________ ___, _____

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,

as Trustee

7

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto

(PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER

 IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE)

(PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, OF

ASSIGNEE) the within Note and all rights thereunder, hereby

irrevocably constituting and appointing such person attorney to

transfer such Note on the books of the Issuer, with full

power of substitution in the premises.

Dated: ________________________   _________________________

8

Exhibit 5

February 14, 2025

American Electric Power Company, Inc.

1 Riverside Plaza

Columbus, Ohio 43215

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am an employee of American Electric Power Service Corporation, an affiliate of American Electric Power Company, Inc. a New York corporation (the “Company”), and have acted as counsel to the Company in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), relating to (i) Senior Notes; (ii) shares of Common Stock of the Company, par value $6.50 per share (the “Common Stock”); (iii) shares of Preferred Stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share (the “Preferred Stock”); (iv) Junior Subordinated Debentures (“Junior Subordinated Debentures”); (v) Stock Purchase Contracts for purchase and sale of Common Stock or Preferred Stock (the “Stock Purchase Contracts”); (vi) Stock Purchase Units of the Company, consisting of (a) a Stock Purchase Contract and (b) a beneficial interest in Senior Notes, Junior Subordinated Debentures or debt obligations of third parties (including U.S. Treasury Securities) (the “Stock Purchase Units”); and (vii) Common Stock which may be issued upon exercise of Stock Purchase Contracts. The Common Stock, the Preferred Stock, the Senior Notes, the Junior Subordinated Debentures, the Stock Purchase Contracts and the Stock Purchase Units are hereinafter referred to collectively as the “Securities”. The Securities may be issued and sold or delivered from time to time as set forth in the Registration Statement, any amendment thereto, the prospectus contained therein (the “Prospectus”) and supplements to the Prospectus and pursuant to Rule 415 under the Act.

The Senior Notes will be issued under an Indenture (“Senior Indenture”) dated as of March 1, 2001 between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee (the “Senior Trustee”). The Junior Subordinated Debentures will be issued under an Indenture (the “Subordinated Indenture”) dated as of March 1, 2008 between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee (the “Subordinated Trustee”). The Senior Indenture and the Subordinated Indenture are hereinafter referred to collectively as the “Indentures”. The Stock Purchase Contracts will be issued pursuant to a Stock Purchase Contract Agreement (the “Stock Purchase Contract Agreement”) between the Company and The Bank of New York, Mellon Trust Company, N.A. as Stock Purchase Contract Agent (the “Stock Purchase Contract Agent”).

I have examined the Registration Statement, a form of the share certificate, the Senior Indenture, the Subordinated Indenture and the form of Stock Purchase Contract Agreement, which have been filed with the Commission as exhibits to the Registration Statement. I also have examined the originals, or duplicates or certified or conformed copies, of such records, agreements, instruments and other documents and have made such other and further investigations as I have deemed relevant and necessary in connection with the opinions expressed herein. As to questions of fact material to this opinion, I have relied upon certificates of public officials and of officers and representatives of the Company.

In rendering the opinions set forth below, I have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as duplicates or certified or conformed copies, and the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents. I also have assumed that: (1) the Senior Indenture is the valid and legally binding obligation of the Senior Trustee; (2) the Subordinated Indenture is the valid and legally binding obligation of the Subordinated Trustee and (3) at the time of execution, issuance and delivery of the Stock Purchase Contracts, the Stock Purchase Contract Agreement will be the valid and legally binding obligation of the Stock Purchase Contract Agent.

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications and limitations stated herein, I am of the opinion that:

1.  With respect to the Common Stock, assuming (a) the taking by the Board of Directors of the Company of all necessary corporate action to authorize and approve the issuance of the Common Stock and (b) due issuance and delivery of the Common Stock, upon payment thereof in accordance with the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board of Directors of the Company and otherwise in accordance with the provisions of such agreement, the Certificate of Incorporation, the New York Business Corporation Law and applicable regulatory requirements, the Common Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

2.  With respect to the Preferred Stock of any series, assuming (a) the taking by the Board of Directors of the Company of all necessary corporate action to authorize and approve the issuance of the Preferred Stock, (b) due filing of the applicable definitive Certificate of Amendment with respect to such Preferred Stock and (c) due issuance and delivery of the Preferred Stock, upon payment thereof in accordance with the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board of Directors of the Company and otherwise in accordance with the provisions of such agreement, the Certificate of Incorporation, the New York Business Corporation Law and applicable regulatory requirements, the Preferred Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

3.  With respect to the Senior Notes and the Junior Subordinated Debentures, assuming (a) the taking of all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and terms of any Senior Notes and the Junior Subordinated Debentures, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters by the Board of Directors of the Company, a duly constituted and acting committee of such Board or duly authorized officers of the Company (such Board of Directors, committee or authorized officers being referred to herein as the “Board”) and (b) the due execution, authentication, issuance and delivery of such Senior Notes and the Junior Subordinated Debentures, upon payment of the consideration therefor provided for in the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board and otherwise in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Indenture and such agreement, such Senior Notes and Junior Subordinated Debentures will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

4.  With respect to the Stock Purchase Contracts, assuming (a) the taking of all necessary corporate action by the Board to approve the execution and delivery of the Stock Purchase Contract Agreement in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and (b) the due execution, issuance and delivery of the Stock Purchase Contracts, upon payment of the consideration for such Stock Purchase Contracts provided for in the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board and otherwise in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Stock Purchase Contract Agreement and such agreement, the Stock Purchase Contracts will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

5.  With respect to the Stock Purchase Units, assuming (a) the taking of all necessary corporate action by the Board to authorize and approve (1) the issuance and terms of the Stock Purchase Units, (2) the execution and delivery of the Stock Purchase Contract Agreement with respect to the Stock Purchase Contracts which are a component of the Stock Purchase Units in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and (3) the issuance and terms of the Senior Notes or Junior Subordinated Debentures which are a component of the Stock Purchase Units, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters and (b) the due execution, authentication, in the case of such Senior Notes and Junior Subordinated Debentures, issuance and delivery of (1) Stock Purchase Units, (2) such Stock Purchase Contracts and (3) such Senior Notes and Junior Subordinated Debentures, in each case upon the payment of the consideration therefore provided for in the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board and in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Stock Purchase Contract Agreement, in the case of such Stock Purchase Contracts, and the applicable Indenture, in the case of such Senior Notes and Junior Subordinated Debentures, such Stock Purchase Units will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

The opinions set forth in paragraph 3 through 5 above are subject to the effects of (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, (ii) general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and (iii) an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

I do not express any opinion herein concerning any law other than the law of the State of New York and the Federal law of the United States.

I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5 to the Registration Statement and to the use of my name under the caption “Legal Opinions” in the Prospectus included in the Registration Statement. In giving this consent I do not hereby admit that I am in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act.

Exhibit 23(a)

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of American Electric Power Company, Inc. of our report dated February 13, 2025 relating to the financial statements, financial statement schedules and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, which appears in American Electric Power Company, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Registration Statement.

Exhibit 24

AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY, INC.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

Each of the undersigned directors or officers of AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY, INC., a New York corporation, which is to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C. 20549, under the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), one or more Registration Statements, or amendments thereto (including any Registration Statement on Form S-3 pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act covering the Registration of additional securities for the registration thereunder of up to $9,500,000,000 aggregate amount of its securities), does hereby appoint WILLIAM J. FEHRMAN, TREVOR I. MIHALIK, MATTHEW D. FRANSEN and NOAH K. HOLLIS his or her true and lawful attorneys, and each of them his or her true and lawful attorney, with power to act without the others, and with full power of substitution or resubstitution, to execute for him or her and in his or her name said Registration Statement(s) and any and all amendments thereto, whether said amendments add to, delete from or otherwise alter the Registration Statement(s) or the related Prospectus(es) included therein, or add or withdraw any exhibits or schedules to be filed therewith and any and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, hereby granting unto said attorneys and each of them full power and authority to do and perform in the name and on behalf of each of the undersigned, and in any and all capacities, every act and thing whatsoever required or necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as each of the undersigned might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and approving the acts of said attorneys and each of them.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned have signed these presents effective as of the Date of Execution set forth by their name.

RESOLVED, that the preparation, execution, delivery and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), of one or more Registration Statements on Form S-3 of the Company (any such Registration Statement as it may hereafter be amended, together with all exhibits filed therewith, is herein called the “Registration Statement”, and the prospectus forming a part thereof is herein called the “Prospectus”) for the registration for public offering from time to time of securities of the Company (the “Securities”), as shall result in gross proceeds to the Company of $9.5 billion, is hereby authorized, ratified and approved, with such changes therein and amendments (including post-effective amendments) thereto as the Proper Officers (as defined below) of the Company, shall approve, such approval to be conclusively evidenced by such filing; and further

RESOLVED, that the Securities referred to in the preceding paragraph shall consist of:

(i)  senior debt securities, (the “Senior Debt Securities”) and subordinated debt securities (the “Subordinated Debt Securities” and, together with the Senior Debt Securities, the “Debt Securities”), to be issued from time to time in one or more series (a) separately, or (b) as part of Stock Purchase Units (as defined below), in each case, under a new indenture, the Indenture dated as of May 1, 2001, by and between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company N.A., as trustee (the “Indenture Trustee”), or the Junior Subordinated Indenture dated as of March 1, 2008, by and between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company N. A., as trustee (together with the Indenture Trustee, the “Trustee”), each as to be amended or supplemented, if required, by one or more amendments or supplemental indentures, as the case may be, to be entered into by and between the Company and the Trustee (collectively, the “Indenture”); and that the Debt Securities may be convertible (as such, the “Convertible Debt Securities”) into shares of Common Stock (as defined below);

(ii)  shares of common stock, par value $6.50 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”), to be issued from time to time (a) separately, (b) upon the conversion of Debt Securities, (c) upon settlement of Stock Purchase Contracts (as defined below), or (d) upon settlement of Stock Purchase Units;

(iii)  shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the “Preferred Stock”), to be issued from time to time (a) separately, (b) upon the conversion of Debt Securities, (c) upon settlement of Stock Purchase Contracts (as defined below), or (d) upon settlement of Stock Purchase Units;

(iv)  stock purchase contracts (the “Stock Purchase Contracts”) under which the holder, upon settlement, will purchase shares of Common Stock, to be issued from time to time in one or more series (a) separately or (b) as part of a Stock Purchase Unit;

(v)  stock purchase units (the “Stock Purchase Units”), consisting of (a) a Stock Purchase Contract and (b) any of a Debt Security or a debt obligation of a third party, to be issued from time to time in one or more series; and further

RESOLVED, that the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, any Executive Vice President, the Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer of the Company (each, a “Proper Officer”) are each hereby authorized, in the name of and on behalf of the Company, to cause to be prepared, to execute or to cause any Proper Officer, to execute and, when executed, to cause to be filed with the SEC in such form as any Proper Officer or such other officer may deem necessary or desirable, any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and any exhibits or other documents related thereto or required in connection therewith, as the Proper Officer executing the same shall approve, such approval to be conclusively evidenced by such execution and filing thereof; and that each such Proper Officer is hereby authorized to take any and all such further action in connection therewith as such officer may deem necessary or desirable in order that the Registration Statement may become and remain effective and in order that the Prospectus shall be kept current; and further

RESOLVED, that, if determined to be advisable at a later date, each Proper Officer be, and hereby is, authorized in the name of and on behalf of the Company, to cause to be prepared, to execute or to cause any Proper Officer, to execute and, when executed, to cause to be filed with the SEC, a registration statement on Form S-3 (including exhibits and other documents related thereto) pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the 1933 Act covering the registration of additional Securities, and such additional Securities shall constitute Securities for all purposes of these resolutions; and further

RESOLVED, that each of the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer be, and hereby is, authorized and directed, in the name of and on behalf of the Company, to act as an attorney-in-fact for the Company, with full power to act and with full power of substitution and resubstitution, to sign the Registration Statement, any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to the Registration Statement or the 462(b) registration statement referred to in the preceding resolution, together with any exhibits or other documents related thereto or required in connection therewith, in the name of and on behalf of the Company, and to file the same or cause the same to be filed with the SEC, with full power and authority to do and perform every act which such attorney-in-fact may deem necessary or desirable in connection therewith; and further

RESOLVED, that any Proper Officer is hereby authorized to approve and effect the issuance and sale of one or more series of Debt Securities, other than Convertible Debt Securities, and, in connection therewith, to determine and approve any terms, conditions and other provisions of such Debt Securities, as such Proper Officer shall deem to be in the best interests

of the Company, subject to the limitation that such terms, conditions and other provisions shall not be inconsistent with those contained in the Indenture; and further

RESOLVED, that, subject to the limitations stated in these resolutions, any Proper Officer be, and hereby is, authorized to approve the form of any company order or supplemental indenture relating to any series of Debt Securities, if such Proper Officer shall deem such company order or supplemental indenture to be required, with such changes therein as any Proper Officer may approve, such approval to be conclusively evidenced by execution and delivery of any such company order or supplemental indenture by such Proper Officer; that any Proper Officer is hereby authorized to execute and deliver, in the name of and on behalf of the Company, Debt Securities of each series in the amount thereof and with such terms as shall have been determined by the Proper Officer pursuant to these resolutions; that the signature of each of such officers may be done electronically or manually; that Debt Securities bearing the manual or electronic signatures of individuals who were at any time a Proper Officer shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them may cease to hold such offices prior to the execution, authentication and delivery of such Debt Securities; that any Proper Officer hereby is authorized to deliver or cause to be delivered the Debt Securities of each issue for authentication and delivery in the principal amount thereof as shall have been determined by the Proper Officer and in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and the underwriting agreement relating to such securities; that, upon the authentication of the Debt Securities, such Trustee will be authorized to deliver such Debt Securities as instructed by any Proper Officer and that any Proper Officer is hereby authorized to take any and all actions necessary or desirable, in the name of and on behalf of the Company, to enable the Company to meet its obligations under the Indenture and the note or notes representing the Debt Securities which are issued.

Exhibit 25(a)

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)  |__|

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

American Electric Power Company, Inc.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

Senior Notes

(Title of the indenture securities)

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Yes.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”).

- 2 -

- 3 -

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., a banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of Chicago, and State of Illinois, on the 10th day of February, 2025.

- 4 -

EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

of 333 South Hope Street, Suite 2525, Los Angeles, CA 90071

At the close of business December 31, 2024, published in accordance with Federal regulatory authority instructions.

1

I, Shana Quinn, CFO of the above-named bank do hereby declare that the Reports of Condition and Income (including the supporting schedules) for this report date have been prepared in conformance with the instructions issued by the appropriate Federal regulatory authority and are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

We, the undersigned directors (trustees), attest to the correctness of the Report of Condition (including the supporting schedules) for this report date and declare that it has been examined by us and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions issued by the appropriate Federal regulatory authority and is true and correct.

2

Exhibit 25(b)

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)  |__|

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

American Electric Power Company, Inc.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

Junior Subordinated Debentures

(Title of the indenture securities)

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Yes.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”).

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SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., a banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of Chicago, and State of Illinois, on the 10th day of February, 2025.

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EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

of 333 South Hope Street, Suite 2525, Los Angeles, CA 90071

At the close of business December 31, 2024, published in accordance with Federal regulatory authority instructions.

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I, Shana Quinn, CFO of the above-named bank do hereby declare that the Reports of Condition and Income (including the supporting schedules) for this report date have been prepared in conformance with the instructions issued by the appropriate Federal regulatory authority and are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

We, the undersigned directors (trustees), attest to the correctness of the Report of Condition (including the supporting schedules) for this report date and declare that it has been examined by us and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions issued by the appropriate Federal regulatory authority and is true and correct.

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