AEP, MidAmerican Transmission Joint Venture to Develop Two 765-kV Transmission Projects in the Midwest

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Nov. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Electric Transmission
America (ETA), a transmission joint venture between subsidaries of American
Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) and MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company (MEHC), has
signed two separate memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with Exelon and
MidAmerican Energy Company to develop two 765-kilovolt (kV), extra high-voltage
transmission projects in the Midwest. The two projects include a series of
transmission lines that will extend from the Indiana/Ohio border into Iowa and
will establish part of the infrastructure needed to strengthen the Midwest
transmission grid and provide Midwest states with access to additional sources
of energy, including renewable, non-carbon emitting electricity generation.

ETA has signed an MOU with Exelon to jointly develop 420 miles of 765-kV
transmission lines that will extend from the Indiana/Ohio border west across
Indiana into Henry County, Illinois. ETA will develop the 104 miles of proposed
transmission lines located in Indiana. Commonwealth Edison, a subsidiary of
Exelon, will build the Illinois portion of the project. Based on current plans,
the entire project is estimated to cost approximately $1.6 billion. The project
would be built in phases, likely between 2015 and 2018, depending on the timing
of regulatory approvals.

ETA signed a second MOU with MidAmerican Energy Company (a subsidiary of MEHC)
to jointly develop another 180 miles of 765-kV transmission that would extend
from the terminus of the first project in Henry County, Illinois, to Louisa
County, Iowa, and then to Buchanan County, Iowa. Based on current plans, the
total cost of the project would be approximately $650 million. The proposed
project is expected to be operational by 2019, depending on the timing of
regulatory approvals.

ETA’s estimated share of both projects totals approximately $675 million,
subject to final routing, design and regulatory approvals.

“As our nation focuses on developing cleaner, more secure sources of power to
support our economy and reduce our environmental impact, it is urgent that we
build the transmission system required to deliver this power to customers. These
agreements are an important step in advancing transmission projects necessary to
support the integration of new energy sources and strengthen the overall
transmission grid in the Midwest,” said Lisa Barton, ETA president.

“Partnering with Exelon and MidAmerican Energy Company combines our respective
companies’ expertise in building and operating transmission, but more
importantly, our collective relationships in this region will help advance these
inter-regional transmission projects and the benefits of extra high-voltage
transmission,” Barton said.

The projects are the first commercial transmission proposals supported by the
recently completed SMARTransmission study, an effort to develop a conceptual
20-year transmission plan for the Midwest. The SMART study was led by ETA and
co-sponsored by a group of several Midwest utilities, including AEP, MidAmerican
Energy Company and Exelon.

ETA and its project partners expect to file with the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission in the first quarter of 2011 and will seek necessary approvals from
state utility commissions in Iowa, Illinois and Indiana, as well as from PJM
Interconnection and Midwest ISO. Costs for both projects are expected to be
broadly allocated within their respective regions.

ETA is a joint venture between subsidiaries of AEP and MidAmerican Energy
Holdings Company to build and own electric transmission assets. The joint
venture is a 50-50 partnership organized to identify and invest in high-voltage
transmission projects (345-kV or higher) located in North America outside of the
Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). ETA’s current joint venture
projects include Prairie Wind Transmission in Kansas and Tallgrass Transmission
in Oklahoma. The two companies also have a joint venture agreement to build
transmission in ERCOT.

AEP, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest electric utilities
in the United States, delivering electricity to more than 5 million customers in
11 states. MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company, based in Des Moines, Iowa, is a
global provider of energy services to more than 6.9 million customers worldwide.

SOURCE American Electric Power