THOMAS, Okla. (February 15, 2022) Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO), a subsidiary of American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP), today announced a $25,000 grant from the AEP Foundation to Thomas-Fay-Custer Unified Schools to help fund a new elementary school playground. The AEP Foundation is the charitable arm of AEP and is partially funded by PSO.
The playground – featuring a large play structure, a small play structure, two new sets of swings, artificial turf and playground-grade pad – will be adjacent to the district’s new 267-student elementary school. The new playground should be in place by summer.
Thomas-Fay-Custer district has 474 students in pre-K through 12th grade classes.
Children will be able to use the playground during recess, physical education class or after school, said Superintendent Rob Friesen.
“We appreciate the generosity of the AEP Foundation and PSO’s work on our behalf,” Friesen said. “This will be a point of pride in our community for years to come.”
PSO Vice President of External Affairs Tiffini Jackson said the project fits the high priority PSO, AEP and AEP Foundation place on education.
“This playground will help keep students active and healthy, which is an important part of the school day,” Jackson said. “We are delighted with the new project and look forward to seeing the children of the Thomas-Fay-Custer schools enjoying it.”
Thomas is a PSO-served community. A portion of the 999-megawatt Traverse wind farm, the largest piece of the 1,485-megawatt North Central Energy Facilities, is located within the school district. When Traverse goes online later this year, it will be co-owned by PSO and fellow AEP operating company SWEPCO.
About PSO
PSO, a unit of American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP), is an electric utility company serving more than 562,000 customer accounts in eastern and southwestern Oklahoma. Based in Tulsa, PSO has approximately 3,800 megawatts of generating capacity fueled primarily by natural gas, 22-thousand miles of distribution lines and 37-hundred miles of transmission lines. PSO also is one of the largest distributors of wind energy in the state. News releases and other information is at www.PSOklahoma.com. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, NextDoor and Instagram @PSOklahoma.
About American Electric Power (AEP)
American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, is powering a cleaner, brighter energy future for its customers and communities. AEP’s approximately 16,700 employees operate and maintain the nation’s largest electricity transmission system and more than 224,000 miles of distribution lines to safely deliver reliable and affordable power to 5.5 million regulated customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation’s largest electricity producers with approximately 31,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including more than 5,900 megawatts of renewable energy. The company’s plans include growing its renewable generation portfolio to approximately 50% of total capacity by 2030. AEP is on track to reach an 80% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from 2000 levels by 2030 and has committed to achieving net zero by 2050. AEP is recognized consistently for its focus on sustainability, community engagement, and diversity, equity and inclusion. AEP’s family of companies includes utilities AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana, east Texas and the Texas Panhandle). AEP also owns AEP Energy, which provides innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide. For more information, visit aep.com.
About the AEP Foundation
The American Electric Power Foundation is funded by American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) and its operating subsidiaries. The Foundation provides a permanent, ongoing resource for charitable initiatives involving higher dollar values and multi-year commitments in the communities served by AEP and initiatives outside of AEP’s 11-state service area.
The Foundation focuses on improving lives through education from early childhood through higher education in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math; by meeting basic needs for emergency shelter, affordable housing and the elimination of hunger; and championing social and racial justice. Other Foundation support may be offered to protect the environment, promote healthcare and safety, and enrich life through art, music and cultural heritage.
Media Contact:
Wayne Greene
PSO Corporate Communications
(918) 521-1474
lwgreene@aep.com