Core Points - American Electric Power (AEP) and Transource Energy will invest approximately 1.7billionintransmissionsystemupgradestoenhancereliabilityandpoweravailabilityacrossseveralstatesinthePJMfootprint,includingIndiana,Maryland,Ohio,Virginia,andWestVirginia[1][4]−TheinvestmentispartoftheRegionalTransmissionExpansionPlan(RTEP)process,whichaimstoaddressforecastedreliabilityconcernsandisexpectedtohaveprojectsinserviceby2029[2][3]−AEP′sproposalsincludeconstructingnewlines,upgradingexistingpowerlines,andreplacingsubstationequipmenttoensurereliableelectricserviceandmeetfutureenergydemands[3][5]InvestmentBreakdown−Ofthe1.7 billion investment, approximately 1.1billionwillbeadvancedthroughTransourceEnergyinajointventurewithDominionEnergyandFirstEnergyTransmission,focusingoncompetitivetransmissionprojects,includingtwo765kilovoltlinesinWestVirginia,Virginia,andMaryland[4][8]−Theremaining600 million will be allocated to AEP's Transmission Companies and operating companies in Indiana, Ohio, and Virginia, with a commitment to engage with local communities and stakeholders throughout the development process [5][6] Company Overview - AEP is investing $54 billion from 2025 to 2029 to enhance service and support growing energy needs, operating the largest electric transmission system in the U.S. with 40,000 line miles and serving 5.6 million customers across 11 states [7][8] - The company is focused on safety, operational excellence, and economic development, with a diverse generating capacity of approximately 29,000 megawatts [7]