FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The National Center for Reliable Electric Power Transmission, the College of Engineering and American Electric Power are sponsoring AEP’s “The Future of Energy” University Listening Tour. Michael G. Morris, AEP’s chairman, president and chief executive officer, will lead a discussion about the future of America’s energy sources from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Monday, March 10, at the Willard Walker Hall Auditorium.

Morris will engage university students in a dialogue about energy availability, security and related issues. Morris will begin the session with a brief talk about energy sources before opening the floor for a discussion with students about important energy decisions that will need to be made soon.

“The tour’s purpose is to engage young people on college campuses across America in a discussion about what it will take to ensure our nation’s energy security and address the deepening challenge of meeting growing demand for electricity while protecting the environment,” Morris said. “We want to give attendees a chance to be heard. They are our future leaders, and their opinions may help AEP and our industry to chart a better course.”

Morris joined AEP in January 2004. He had been chairman, president and chief executive officer of Northeast Utilities System in Connecticut from 1997 to 2003 and, before that, was president and chief executive officer of Consumers Energy and president of CMS Marketing, Services and Trading in Michigan. Morris also was president of Colorado Interstate Gas Co.; executive vice president of marketing, transportation and gas supply for ANR Pipeline Co.; and founder and president of ANR Gathering Co., one of the nation’s first gas marketing companies.

American Electric Power is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to more than 5 million customers in 11 states. AEP ranks among the nation’s largest generators of electricity, owning more than 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. AEP also owns the nation’s largest electricity transmission system, a nearly 39,000-mile network that includes more 765 kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined.

Morris will also speak with students at Virginia Tech, Ohio State University, Howard University, Purdue University, and the University of Tulsa.