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Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

19. GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS

Goodwill

The changes in our carrying amount of goodwill for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011 by operating segment are as follows:

					Generation
	Utility		AEP River			and	AEP
	Operations		Operations		Marketing		Consolidated
	(in millions)
Balance as of December 31, 2010	$	37	$	39	$	-	$	76
Impairment Losses		-		-		-		-
Balance as of December 31, 2011		37		39		-		76
Acquired Goodwill		-		-		15		15
Impairment Losses		-		-		-		-
Balance as of December 31, 2012	$	37	$	39	$	15	$	91

In the fourth quarters of 2012 and 2011, we performed our annual impairment tests. The fair values of the operations with goodwill were estimated using cash flow projections and other market value indicators. There were no goodwill impairment losses. We do not have any accumulated impairment on existing goodwill.

During 2012, the increase in goodwill of $15 million was due to the acquisition of BlueStar.

Other Intangible Assets

Acquired intangible assets subject to amortization were $24 million as of December 31, 2012, net of accumulated amortization and are included in Deferred Charges and Other Noncurrent Assets on the balance sheets. As of December 31, 2011, all acquired intangible assets had been fully amortized. During 2012, as a result of the acquisition of BlueStar, we acquired intangible assets associated with sales contracts and customer accounts of $58 million. The amortization life, gross carrying amount and accumulated amortization by major asset class are as follows:

		December 31,
		2012				2011
		Gross				Gross
	Amortization	Carrying		Accumulated		Carrying		Accumulated
	Life	Amount		Amortization		Amount		Amortization
	(in years)	(in millions)
Easements	10	$	-	$	-	$	2	$	2
Purchased Technology	10		-		-		11		11
Acquired Customer Contracts	5		58		34		-		-
Total		$	58	$	34	$	13	$	13

Amortization of intangible assets was $34 million, $1 million and $1 million for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Our estimated total amortization is $13 million, $6 million, $3 million and $2 million for 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, respectively.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the aggregate amount of goodwill and a description of intangible assets, which may include (a) for amortizable intangible assets (also referred to as finite-lived intangible assets), the carrying amount, the amount of any significant residual value, and the weighted-average amortization period, (b) for intangible assets not subject to amortization (also referred to as indefinite-lived intangible assets), the carrying amount, and (c) the amount of research and development assets acquired and written off in the period, including the line item in the income statement in which the amounts written off are aggregated, if not readily apparent from the income statement. Also discloses (a) for amortizable intangibles assets in total and by major class, the gross carrying amount and accumulated amortization, the total amortization expense for the period, and the estimated aggregate amortization expense for each of the five succeeding fiscal years, (b) for intangible assets not subject to amortization the carrying amount in total and by major class, and (c) for goodwill, in total and for each reportable segment, the changes in the carrying amount of goodwill during the period (including the aggregate amount of goodwill acquired, the aggregate amount of impairment losses recognized, and the amount of goodwill included in the gain (loss) on disposal of a reporting unit). If any part of goodwill has not been allocated to a reportable segment, discloses the unallocated amount and the reasons for not allocating. For each impairment loss recognized related to an intangible asset (excluding goodwill), discloses: (a) a description of the impaired intangible asset and the facts and circumstances leading to the impairment, (b) the amount of the impairment loss and the method for determining fair value, (c) the caption in the income statement or the statement of activities in which the impairment loss is aggregated, and (d) the segment in which the impaired intangible asset is reported. For each goodwill impairment loss recognized, discloses: (a) a description of the facts and circumstances leading to the impairment, (b) the amount of the impairment loss and the method of determining the fair value of the associated reporting unit, and (c) if a recognized impairment loss is an estimate not finalized and the reasons why the estimate is not final. May also disclose the nature and amount of any significant adjustments made to a previous estimate of an impairment loss.

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