content: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><edgarSubmission xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/ownership" xmlns:com="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">
    <headerData>
      <submissionType>144</submissionType>
      <filerInfo>
        <filer>
          <filerCredentials>
            <cik>0001660882</cik>
            <ccc>XXXXXXXX</ccc>
          </filerCredentials>
        </filer>
        <liveTestFlag>LIVE</liveTestFlag>
  
  
  
      </filerInfo>
    </headerData>
    <formData>
      <issuerInfo>
        <issuerCik>0000004904</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER CO INC</issuerName>
        <secFileNumber>001-03525</secFileNumber>
        <issuerAddress>
          <com:street1>1 RIVERSIDE PLAZA</com:street1>
          <com:city>COLUMBUS</com:city>
          <com:stateOrCountry>OH</com:stateOrCountry>
          <com:zipCode>43215</com:zipCode>
        </issuerAddress>
        <issuerContactPhone>614-716-1000</issuerContactPhone>
        <nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>Risch Therace</nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>
        <relationshipsToIssuer>
          <relationshipToIssuer>Officer</relationshipToIssuer>
        </relationshipsToIssuer>
      </issuerInfo>
      <securitiesInformation>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
          <name>Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC</name>
          <address>
            <com:street1>900 Salem Street</com:street1>
            <com:city>Smithfield</com:city>
            <com:stateOrCountry>RI</com:stateOrCountry>
            <com:zipCode>02917</com:zipCode>
          </address>
        </brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
        <noOfUnitsSold>5274</noOfUnitsSold>
        <aggregateMarketValue>516746.52</aggregateMarketValue>
        <noOfUnitsOutstanding>532119995</noOfUnitsOutstanding>
        <approxSaleDate>07/30/2024</approxSaleDate>
        <securitiesExchangeName>NASDAQ</securitiesExchangeName>
      </securitiesInformation>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>05/01/2021</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Restricted Stock Vesting</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>1</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>05/01/2021</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensation</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>05/01/2022</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Restricted Stock Vesting</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>2</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>05/01/2022</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensation</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>02/17/2023</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Restricted Stock Vesting</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>663</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>02/17/2023</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensation</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>03/10/2023</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Restricted Stock Vesting</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>6</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>03/10/2023</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensation</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>05/01/2023</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Restricted Stock Vesting</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>2537</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>05/01/2023</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensation</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>02/21/2024</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Restricted Stock Vesting</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>1277</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>02/21/2024</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensation</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>05/01/2024</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Restricted Stock Vesting</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>788</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>05/01/2024</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensation</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>Y</nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>
      <noticeSignature>
        <noticeDate>07/30/2024</noticeDate>
        <planAdoptionDates>
          <planAdoptionDate>03/01/2024</planAdoptionDate>
        </planAdoptionDates>
        <signature>/s/ Gary Redman, as a duly authorized representative of Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, as attorney-in-fact for Therace Risch</signature>
      </noticeSignature>
    </formData>
  </edgarSubmission>
metadata_documents: [{"type": "144", "sequence": "1", "filename": "primary_doc.xml", "secsgml_size_bytes": 6163}]
text: 144
  0001660882
  XXXXXXXX
  LIVE
  0000004904
  AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER CO INC
  001-03525
  1 RIVERSIDE PLAZA
  COLUMBUS
  OH
  43215
  614-716-1000
  Risch Therace
  Officer
  Common
  Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC
  900 Salem Street
  Smithfield
  RI
  02917
  5274
  516746.52
  532119995
  07/30/2024
  NASDAQ
  Common
  05/01/2021
  Restricted Stock Vesting
  Issuer
  N
  1
  05/01/2021
  Compensation
  Common
  05/01/2022
  Restricted Stock Vesting
  Issuer
  N
  2
  05/01/2022
  Compensation
  Common
  02/17/2023
  Restricted Stock Vesting
  Issuer
  N
  663
  02/17/2023
  Compensation
  Common
  03/10/2023
  Restricted Stock Vesting
  Issuer
  N
  6
  03/10/2023
  Compensation
  Common
  05/01/2023
  Restricted Stock Vesting
  Issuer
  N
  2537
  05/01/2023
  Compensation
  Common
  02/21/2024
  Restricted Stock Vesting
  Issuer
  N
  1277
  02/21/2024
  Compensation
  Common
  05/01/2024
  Restricted Stock Vesting
  Issuer
  N
  788
  05/01/2024
  Compensation
  Y
  07/30/2024
  03/01/2024
  /s/ Gary Redman, as a duly authorized representative of Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, as attorney-in-fact for Therace Risch