COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 5, 2022
/PRNewswire/ -- Shane Lies has been
named senior vice president and chief nuclear officer of American
Electric Power's (Nasdaq: AEP) Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant (Cook)
in Bridgman, Michigan, effective
July 1, 2022. Lies is currently site
vice president at Cook, a dual-unit nuclear site with a total
generating capacity of 2,278 megawatts. Lies is replacing
Joel Gebbie, who is retiring after
36 years with AEP. Kelly Ferneau,
Cook plant manager, will be promoted to site vice president to
replace Lies.
"Shane brings a deep understanding of the industry, nuclear
operations and an appreciation for the culture needed to support
nuclear excellence. Since joining Cook 26 years ago, Shane has
developed deep knowledge of Cook Plant operations and built strong
relationships with Cook employees, industry stakeholders and the
surrounding communities," said Lisa
Barton, AEP executive vice president and chief operating
officer. "Shane has demonstrated his passion for operational
excellence, reliability and ensuring that safety remains the top
priority. As he transitions into his new role, I know his team will
ensure that Cook continues to deliver clean, reliable energy to
customers in Michigan and
Indiana.
"Kelly brings strong technical expertise, a shared commitment to
safety and continuous improvement, and is well prepared to continue
to drive excellence in Cook's operations and develop the Cook team
as site vice president."
"Joel's extensive experience, industry knowledge and focus on
the culture necessary to support operational excellence has ensured
Cook's ability to generate clean, reliable power for the customers
of Indiana Michigan Power. He developed an incredibly talented
leadership team that is well prepared to continue Cook's legacy of
excellence. We thank him for his significant contributions and
leadership within the industry, as well as his service to Cook and
AEP. We wish Joel all the best in his well-deserved retirement,"
Barton said.
Lies, 51, joined AEP in 1996 as a system engineer at Cook and
has served in numerous roles, including engineering vice president
and plant manager. Lies has a bachelor's degree in nuclear
engineering and a master's degree in mechanical engineering from
Kansas State University.
Ferneau, 54, joined AEP in 2013 as an operations work control
manager at Cook and has served as director of operations in
addition to her current role. She has held numerous roles in
nuclear power generation since 1990. Ferneau holds a bachelor's
degree in mechanical engineering from Trine University and has held
a senior reactor operator license.
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 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.
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SOURCE American Electric Power