The men and women of Indiana Michigan Power are helping service providers in the medical field through major donations of key materials during the pandemic. 
Toby Thomas, President and Chief Operating Officer of Indiana Michigan Power, has updated the communities in the I&M service territory regarding delivery of energy service during the coronavirus pandemic and other actions by the team:
Thank you for this opportunity to update the community about the status of Indiana Michigan Power at this crucial time.
I&M does not anticipate any interruptions in our service related to the coronavirus. I&M’s No. 1 focus is on the health and safety of our customers and employees as our teams continue to work to keep the lights on 24/7. We have updated our emergency plans for the COVID-19 pandemic and we continue to closely monitor the situation.
This is a challenging and uncertain time. Indiana Michigan Power encourages all of our customers to abide by the guidelines that the Centers for Disease Control and our state and local government authorities have issued.
Recognizing the need for Personal Protection Equipment in communities we serve, I&M is donating 10,000 masks and 10,000 individual nitrile gloves from our inventory to health-care workers and first responders throughout the areas we serve in Indiana and Michigan. The mask is the much-needed N95 mask, and the gloves are nitrile gloves, made from a synthetic rubber.
The American Electric Power Foundation is donating $1.5 million in emergency funds to support basic human needs and help address the hardships faced by customers and communities. Of that, $240,000 will be distributed to appropriate non-profit agencies in the I&M service territory.
We have taken significant steps to keep our employees healthy to ensure we can still serve our customers. Our line workers and other critical employees are working in smaller teams, practicing physical distancing and taking other prevention measures recommended by the CDC. We ask our customers and all members of the public to please respect the 6-foot distance from our workers for their safety and the safety of the community.
All employees who can are working from home to help prevent the spread of the virus – and that includes me.
Because we know that many of our customers are facing unusual financial hardships, we have temporarily suspended all service disconnections for non-payment. All customers will ultimately be responsible for paying their bill, and we urge them to try to keep their accounts current. If a customer is going to have trouble paying their bill, please contact us by phone or through Facebook or Twitter to discuss payment options.
We urge everyone to continue following the guidelines issued by the CDC and state and local authorities. Doing so will enable us as a community, a nation and a society to overcome this dangerous virus so we can once again thrive.
Meanwhile, I&M parent, American Electric Power, has changed the location of its Annual Meeting of Shareholders due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They have moved that meeting to the AEP Transmission building at 8500 Smith’s Mill Road in New Albany, Ohio. The meeting is still scheduled for Tuesday, April 21st at 9:00 am ET. Here is what the company says about that:
To support the health and safety of its employees, shareholders and communities, AEP strongly urges shareholders to call into the meeting, rather than attend in person, by using the following toll-free number to listen to the meeting live: 844-291-6360, passcode 9114469. The company is sensitive to the public health and travel concerns its shareholders may have and the restrictions that federal, state and local governments have imposed on traveling and on the number of people that can attend gatherings, including through Ohio’s stay-at-home order. Shareholders are asked to call in 10 to 15 minutes before the scheduled start time.
The meeting will be abbreviated and limited to the three agenda items for consideration as described in the company’s proxy materials filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and available at www.edocumentview.com/aep. The three items to be considered at the meeting are the election of directors, a non-binding vote on the ratification of the appointment of auditors and a non-binding “say on pay” vote concerning the company’s compensation programs. Refreshments will not be served in connection with the meeting.
AEP encourages shareholders to vote their shares prior to the annual meeting by using one of the methods described in the company’s proxy materials. Only shareholders of record at the close of business on Feb. 24, 2020, are entitled to notice of and to vote at the annual meeting or any adjournment thereof. Please refer to the company’s proxy materials filed with the SEC for additional information.
In the event AEP determines it is not possible or advisable to hold its annual meeting in-person, it will announce alternative arrangements as promptly as possible before April 21, which may include holding a virtual annual meeting. Please monitor www.aep.com for updated information.
