<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-31
<SEQUENCE>17
<FILENAME>x31a.txt
<DESCRIPTION>(A) CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
<TEXT>
                                                                 EXHIBIT 31(a)

                    CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 302
                      OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002


I, Michael G. Morris, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of:

                    American Electric Power Company, Inc.
                            AEP Generating Company
                          AEP Texas Central Company
                           AEP Texas North Company
                          Appalachian Power Company
                       Columbus Southern Power Company
                        Indiana Michigan Power Company
                            Kentucky Power Company
                              Ohio Power Company
                      Public Service Company of Oklahoma
                     Southwestern Electric Power Company;

2.   Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of
     a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
     statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements
     were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this
     report;

3.   Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
     information included in this report, fairly present in all material
     respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of
     the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4.   The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible for
     establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined
     in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15e and 15d-15e) and internal controls over
     financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15f and 15d-f),
     for the registrant and we have:

     a. designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
        disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision,
        to ensure that material information relating to the registrant,
        including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others
        within those entities, particularly during the period in which this
        report is being prepared;

     b. evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and
        procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the
        effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end
        of the period covered by this report based on such evaluations; and

     c. Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal control
        over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant's most
        recent fiscal quarter (the registrant's fourth fiscal quarter in the
        case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably
        likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over
        financial reporting; and

5.   The registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based on
     our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to
     the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of registrant's board of
     directors (or persons performing the equivalent function):

     a. all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or
        operation of internal control over financial reporting which are
        reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to
        record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

     b. any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other
        employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal
        control over financial reporting.

Date: March 10, 2004                         By: /s/ Michael G. Morris
                                                Chief Executive Officer



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