American Electric Power

PeopleSoft Make Me Current PUM / PeopleTools Update AND AIX-to-Linux Platform Migration

Scope of the Project

Elire partnered with American Electric Power (AEP) to execute a multiphase modernization of the organization’s PeopleSoft Financials environment. The engagement began with Elire successfully upgrading AEP’s Financials application from Release 9.0 to 9.2 in early 2023.

Building on that success, Elire returned in late 2024 to lead AEP’s first full PeopleSoft 9.2 “Make Me Current” cycle, advancing the system from PUM 39 to PUM 52 and completing a PeopleTools upgrade from 8.58 to 8.61. In parallel, Elire played a key role in AEP’s infrastructure strategy by supporting the migration of essential PeopleSoft components from AIX to Linux and coordinating the transition to an Oracle Exadata database.

Throughout the project, Elire provided leadership across project management, security, integrations, testing, and change management to ensure alignment with AEP’s long-term technology roadmap.

The Challenge

AEP’s PeopleSoft environment was highly customized and tightly integrated, with more than 50 external systems and over 200 interface touchpoints. These extensive integrations made updates increasingly complex and required thoughtful planning to avoid downstream impacts. Years of customization also meant that PUM updates and PeopleTools upgrades required significant retrofitting to maintain stability. Compounding these challenges, AEP relied heavily on manual test scripts across multiple technical tracks, increasing the effort and risk associated with each change.

At the same time, the organization was moving away from legacy AIX infrastructure, requiring careful rework of shell scripts and integrations to support the new Linux environment. With several modernization efforts happening concurrently—and heightened visibility from AEP’s executive leadership, including a newly appointed CIO—the initiative required a partner capable of managing risk, maintaining momentum, and delivering results across overlapping workstreams.

Success Delivered

Elire successfully guided AEP through its modernization journey, delivering a fully updated, stable, and future-ready PeopleSoft environment. The PeopleSoft upgrade and “Make Me Current” effort were completed with precision, despite the size and complexity of AEP’s technical footprint. The migration from AIX to Linux and the transition to Oracle Exadata were executed without major business disruption, resulting in improved performance, enhanced maintainability, and a modernized infrastructure foundation. The strength of Elire’s testing leadership, issue resolution process, and project governance contributed to a shorter than expected HyperCare period and a noticeable reduction in high-severity incidents. With renewed confidence from AEP’s leadership team, the organization now has a streamlined, supportable PeopleSoft ecosystem and a scalable roadmap for future enhancements. Through disciplined delivery and deep PeopleSoft expertise, Elire helped AEP transform a challenging environment into a modern platform poised for ongoing operational success.

Client Overview

American Electric Power (AEP) is one of the largest electric utility companies in the United States, delivering energy to more than 5 million customers across 11 states. With a mission to power a cleaner, brighter energy future, AEP leads with innovation and a commitment to operational excellence.

Interested in learning more about how Elire can assist your PeopleSoft team? Visit our PeopleSoft Services Page or contact our team at [email protected].