Exhibit 99.2


AEP-CSW Merger Gets Antitrust Clearance from Department of Justice


Columbus,  Ohio,  and Dallas,  Feb.  2,  2000-- The  pending  merger of American
Electric  Power  (NYSE:  AEP) and Central and South West Corp.  (NYSE:  CSR) has
received  antitrust  clearance  from the  Department  of Justice,  the companies
announced today.

AEP  and CSW  have  been  notified  by the  Department  of  Justice  that it has
completed its investigation in accordance with the  Hart-Scott-Rodino  Antitrust
Improvements  Act of 1976  and has  closed  the  investigation  finding  that no
further action is warranted. With this action, the Department's antitrust review
of the proposed merger is completed.

"The  antitrust  clearance is a very  positive and  significant  step toward the
completion of our merger," said E. Linn Draper Jr.,  AEP's  chairman,  president
and chief  executive  officer.  "The  Department of Justice  Antitrust  Division
conducted a full and thorough investigation,  one that required our companies to
provide  massive  volumes of  documents  for review.  Its staff  explored  every
possible  theory of potential  competitive  harm and concluded,  as we have long
maintained, that this merger poses no threat to competition.

"With  this  review  completed,  we can now focus on gaining  the final  federal
approvals necessary to complete the merger," Draper said.

AEP and CSW announced their intention to merge on Dec. 22, 1997.  Approvals that
remain  include the Federal Energy  Regulatory  Commission  (FERC),  the Federal
Communications  Commission  (FCC) and the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission
(SEC).  Upon  completion of the merger,  the new company will be called American
Electric Power.

"The FERC has  indicated  it will act on our  merger no later than  February  or
March,"  Draper said.  "The SEC action  follows the FERC's  decision.  We are on
track to complete the approvals in the spring."

The administrative law judge who presided over the FERC merger hearing found the
AEP-CSW  merger to be  consistent  with the  public  interest.  AEP and CSW also
reached a  settlement  with the FERC trial  staff in which the staff  supports a
finding that the merger will have no adverse effect on competition.

The merger has received approval from state regulatory  commissions in Arkansas,
Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas, the four states within CSW's service territory.

AEP  and  CSW  have  announced  settlement  agreements  with  the  International
Brotherhood  of  Electrical  Workers  (IBEW) and the  Utility  Workers  Union of
America  (UWUA)  resulting in the IBEW and UWUA local unions  withdrawing  their
opposition  to  completion  of the merger;  as well as with the Indiana  Utility
Regulatory  Commission  (IURC) resulting in Indiana  customers  receiving merger
benefits and  including a commitment by the IURC not to oppose the merger during
consideration  of the merger agreement by the FERC and the SEC. AEP and CSW also
have announced a settlement agreement with key parties in Kentucky that has been
approved by the Kentucky  Public  Service  Commission;  a  settlement  agreement
approved by the Michigan Public Service Commission;  and a settlement  agreement
with  the  Missouri  Public  Service  Commission  addressing  that  commission's
concerns about the effect of the merger on retail  competition in the state. The



Public Utility  Commission of Ohio (PUCO) has notified the FERC that the PUCO is
no longer opposing the pending merger or seeking conditions on the merger.

Additionally,  AEP and CSW have reached  settlements with a variety of wholesale
customers who had  intervened  in federal  proceedings.  The Nuclear  Regulatory
Commission has approved a license transfer application related to the merger.

Central and South West Corp. is a global,  diversified  public  utility  holding
company based in Dallas. CSW owns four electric operating  subsidiaries  serving
1.7 million  customers in Texas,  Oklahoma,  Louisiana and Arkansas;  a regional
electricity company in the United Kingdom; other international energy operations
and   non-utility   subsidiaries   involved   in   energy-related   investments,
telecommunications, energy efficiency and financial transactions.

AEP,  a  global  energy   company,   is  one  of  the  United  States'   largest
investor-owned  utilities,  providing energy to 3 million  customers in Indiana,
Kentucky,  Michigan,  Ohio,  Tennessee,  Virginia  and  West  Virginia.  AEP has
holdings in the United States, the United Kingdom,  China and Australia.  Wholly
owned  subsidiaries  provide power  engineering,  energy  consulting  and energy
management services around the world. The company is based in Columbus, Ohio.