GAHANNA, Ohio, August 9, 2023 — AEP Ohio, an American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) company, reminds customers to mark August 11 — or 8/11 — by remembering to call 811 before doing any digging on their property.
The phone call will start the process to have underground utility lines marked by an Ohio Utilities Protection Service (OUPS) technician free of charge. Electric, gas, water, sewer and cable utilities use underground lines to deliver services to customers. Striking these lines can cause serious or fatal injuries, power outages and costly repairs. The location and depth of utility lines can vary due to erosion, uneven surfaces and previous digging projects.
“Call 811 before you start your next home improvement project to help keep you, your family and your neighbors safe,” said Ryan Knapp, Ohio Region director of safety and health for American Electric Power. “There’s a risk of striking an underground utility line even when digging just a few inches. From installing a mailbox to planting a tree, every project that involves digging warrants a call to 811.”
Homeowners should contact OUPS at least two days before breaking ground either by calling 811 or submitting an online dig request at oups.org/edig.
For more safety tips and resources, visit AEPOhio.com/Safety and Ohio811.org.
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About AEP Ohio
AEP Ohio is based in Gahanna, Ohio, and is a unit of American Electric Power. AEP Ohio provides electricity to 1.5 million customers. News and information about AEP Ohio can be found at AEPOhio.com.
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 7,100 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 2005 levels by 2030 and has committed to achieving net zero by 2045. 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.
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