TULSA, Okla., July 12, 2013 – Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) and the Tulsa Shock have agreed to a sponsorship of the 2013 season, which will ultimately provide funds for PSO’s Light A Life Energy Fund, administered by The Salvation Army.  Light A Life provides emergency funds to help individuals in need with their energy bills.

“PSO is pleased to partner with the WNBA’s Tulsa Shock.  We are so impressed with the Shock’s loyalty to the Tulsa metro community – particularly its focus on reaching out to the kids,” said John Harper, PSO Vice President for External Affairs.

“The Shock is raising the bar of expectations by helping kids dream and achieve through their players’ community engagement program and being role models,” he said.  “When entities like PSO and the Tulsa Shock team up, we help improve and promote our hometown as a great place to live and prosper.”

Three Shock games in July will help raise funds for the Light A Life program, as part of The Salvations Army’s annual Home Energy Aid Week.  Those games are July 19, 21 and 25.  The funds raised will be used all year to assist families facing emergencies and needing assistance with their energy bills.  PSO and other businesses in the area will match donor gifts raised during Home Energy Aid Week.

PSO and The Salvation Army developed the Light A Life Energy Fund in 1986 to assist Oklahoma families facing hardships who could not otherwise heat and cool their homes.  All funds raised for the Light A Life program go directly to those in need, since PSO underwrites the administrative costs of the program.  The Salvation Army solely administers and manages the program.  PSO customers may also donate to Light A Life by using the check-off box on their monthly electric bill and paying a little more than the balance of the bill.  All donations are tax deductible and are sent directly to The Salvation Army to assist those who need help.

PSO, a unit of American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP), is an electric utility company serving more than 540,000 customers in eastern and southwestern Oklahoma.  Headquartered in Tulsa, PSO has 4,269 megawatts of generating capacity and provides electricity to 232 cities and towns across a service area encompassing 30,000 square miles.  News releases and other information about PSO can be found on the World Wide Web at PSOklahoma.com.