CANTON, Ohio, April 27, 1999 - Ohio Power Company today announced that on May 28, 1999, it will redeem $87,865,000 of certain First Mortgage Bonds, Designated Secured Medium Term Notes. Ohio Power will redeem all of the outstanding $40,000,000 principal amount of its 7.85% Series due 2023, all of the outstanding $40,000,000 principal amount of its 6.875% Series due 2003 and $7,865,000 of the currently outstanding principal amount of its 6.55% Series due 2003. They will be redeemed at 100 percent of the principal amount of the bonds, plus interest accrued to the date of redemption. Notice of redemption is expected to be mailed on or before April 28, 1999. This redemption is in accordance with the terms of the mortgage under which the bonds were issued. The mortgage permits the company to redeem the bonds with certain funds deposited with the trustee under the mortgage. The Chase Manhattan Bank, New York, is the redemption agent and trustee. American Electric Power, a global energy company, is one of the United States' largest investor-owned utilities, providing energy to 3 million customers in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. AEP has holdings in the United States, the United Kingdom, China and Australia. Wholly owned subsidiaries provide power engineering, energy consulting and energy management services around the world. The company is based in Columbus, Ohio. On Dec. 22, 1997, AEP announced a definitive merger agreement for a tax-free, stock-for-stock transaction with Central and South West Corp., a public utility holding company based in Dallas.