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                                    FORM T-1

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                            STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY
                   UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A
                    CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

                      CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE
                      ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO
                             SECTION 305(b)(2) |__|



                              THE BANK OF NEW YORK
               (Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

New York                                                     13-5160382
(State of incorporation                                      (I.R.S. employer
if not a U.S. national bank)                                 identification no.)

One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.                              10286
(Address of principal executive offices)                     (Zip code)



                          AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER, INC.
               (Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)


New York                                                     13-5160382
(State or other jurisdiction of                              (I.R.S. employer
incorporation or organization)                               identification no.)



One Riverside Plaza
Columbus, OH                                                 43215
(Address of principal executive offices)                     (Zip code)


                                  -------------

                                 Unsecured Notes
                       (Title of the indenture securities)

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                                                                       EXHIBIT 7


1.            GENERAL INFORMATION. FURNISH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AS TO THE
              TRUSTEE:

       (A)    NAME AND ADDRESS OF EACH EXAMINING OR SUPERVISING AUTHORITY TO
              WHICH IT IS SUBJECT.

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                  Name                                        Address
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       Superintendent of Banks                     2 Rector Street, New York,
       of the State of New York                    N.Y. 10006, and Albany,
                                                   N.Y. 12203

       Federal Reserve Bank of New York            33 Liberty Plaza, New York,
                                                   N.Y. 10045

       Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation       Washington, D.C. 20429

       New York Clearing House Association         New York, New York 10005

       (B)    WHETHER IT IS AUTHORIZED TO EXERCISE CORPORATE TRUST POWERS.

              Yes.

2.     AFFILIATIONS WITH OBLIGOR.

       IF THE OBLIGOR IS AN AFFILIATE OF THE TRUSTEE, DESCRIBE EACH SUCH
       AFFILIATION.

       None.

16.    LIST OF EXHIBITS.

       EXHIBITS IDENTIFIED IN PARENTHESES BELOW, ON FILE WITH THE COMMISSION,
       ARE INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE AS AN EXHIBIT HERETO, PURSUANT TO
       RULE 7A-29 UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 (THE "ACT") AND 17
       C.F.R. 229.10(D).

       1.     A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York
              (formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains
              the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to
              exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to
              Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits
              1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No.
              33-21672 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration
              Statement No. 33-29637.)

       4.     A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form
              T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-31019.)

       6.     The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act.
              (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No.
              33-44051.)

       7.     A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published
              pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or
              examining authority.

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                                    SIGNATURE



       Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New
York, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New
York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and
State of New York, on the 19th day of May, 2003.


                                                  THE BANK OF NEW YORK



                                                  By: /s/Cynthia Chaney
                                                      ---------------------
                                                      Name:  Cynthia Chaney
                                                      Title: Vice President




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                       Consolidated Report of Condition of
                              THE BANK OF NEW YORK
                    of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286
                     And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,
a member of the Federal  Reserve System,  at the close of business  December 31,
2002,  published in accordance  with a call made by the Federal  Reserve Bank of
this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

                                                                  Dollar Amounts
ASSETS                                                              In Thousands
Cash and balances due from depository institutions:
  Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin ............  $  4,706,760
  Interest-bearing balances .....................................     4,418,381
Securities:
  Held-to-maturity securities ...................................       954,049
  Available-for-sale securities .................................    16,118,007
Federal funds sold in domestic offices ..........................       460,981
Securities purchased under agreements to resell .................       837,242
Loans and lease financing receivables:
  Loans and leases held for sale ................................       765,097
  Loans and leases, net of unearned income ......................    31,906,960
  LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses .....................       798,223
  Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance ........    31,108,737
Trading Assets ..................................................     6,969,387
Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases) ........       823,932
Other real estate owned .........................................           660
Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and
  associated companies ..........................................       238,412
Customers' liability to this bank on acceptances outstanding ....       307,039
Intangible assets
  Goodwill ......................................................     2,003,150
  Other intangible assets .......................................        74,880
Other assets ....................................................     5,161,558
                                                                   ------------
Total assets ....................................................  $ 74,948,272
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LIABILITIES
Deposits:
  In domestic offices ...........................................  $ 33,108,526
  Noninterest-bearing ...........................................    13,141,240
  Interest-bearing ..............................................    19,967,286
  In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement
    subsidiaries, and IBFs ......................................    22,650,772
  Noninterest-bearing ...........................................       203,426
  Interest-bearing ..............................................    22,447,346
Federal funds purchased in domestic offices .....................       513,773
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase ..................       334,896
Trading liabilities .............................................     2,673,823
Other borrowed money:
  (includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations
  under capitalized leases) .....................................       644,395

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Bank's liability on acceptances executed and outstanding ........       308,261
Subordinated notes and debentures ...............................     2,090,000
Other liabilities ...............................................     5,584,456
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Total liabilities ...............................................  $ 67,908,902
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Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries ..................       519,470

EQUITY CAPITAL
Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus ...................             0
Common stock ....................................................     1,135,284
Surplus .........................................................     1,056,295
Retained earnings ...............................................     4,208,213
Accumulated other comprehensive income ..........................      (120,108)
Other equity capital components .................................             0
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Total equity capital ............................................     6,519,900
                                                                   ------------
Total liabilities minority interest and equity capital ..........  $ 74,948,272
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       I,  Thomas J.  Mastro,  Senior  Vice  President  and  Comptroller  of the
above-named  bank do hereby  declare  that this Report of  Condition is true and
correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

                                                               Thomas J. Mastro,
                                           Senior Vice President and Comptroller

       We,  the  undersigned  directors,  attest  to  the  correctness  of  this
statement of resources and liabilities.  We declare that it has been examined by
us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance
with the instructions and is true and correct.

                        -+
Thomas A. Renyi          |
Gerald L. Hassell        |
Alan R. Griffith         |                   Directors
                        -+

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