We're one of four power marketing administrations within the U.S. Department of Energy whose role is to market and transmit wholesale electricity from multi-use water projects. Our service area encompasses a 15-state region of the central and western U.S. where our more than 17,000 circuit mile transmission system carries electricity from 56 hydropower plants operated by the Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the International Boundary and Water Commission. We also market power from the Navajo Generating Station coal-fired plant near Page, Ariz. Together, these plants have an installed capacity of 10,504 megawatts. We sell our power to preference customers such as Federal and state agencies, cities and towns, rural electric cooperatives, public utility districts, irrigation districts and Native American tribes. They, in turn, provide retail electric service to millions of consumers in the West.

Learn more about what we do in our How WAPA Does Business guide (PDF), our most recent annual report and 2018 State of WAPA’s Assets (PDF).

Our mission

Market and deliver clean, renewable, reliable, cost-based federal hydroelectric power and related services

Our vision 

Continue to provide premier power marketing and transmission services to our customers, as well as contribute to enhancing America's energy security and sustaining our nation's economic vitality

Our

Core values

• Listen to understand, speak with purpose. ​Actively communicate. First listen and work to understand, consider context, check for clarity and simplicity, be respectful and direct, be honest and transparent, be consistent! Interact positively.

• ​Seek. Share. Partner. ​Collaborate to move forward and partner to add value. Actively engage others. Seek and share ideas. Quickly share all relevant information. Act as one team, united in a common mission.

• Respect self, others and the environment. Be a good neighbor and steward of our collective resources and take good care of yourself. Show compassion. Care about others.

• Do what is right. Act with integrity. Be courageous.​

• Be curious, learn more, do better. Repeat. Reflect upon progress. Seek and welcome feedback. Promote team and individual growth and development. Plan for the future. Embrace the spirit of innovation.

• Serve like your lights depend on it! Anticipate customer needs, build authentic relationships, seek win-win solutions, embrace responsibility.

Our Communication Philosophy

At WAPA, we have a TRUE Communication Philosophy. We are:

• Transparent
• Relevant​​
• Understandable
• Expedient

Strategic planning

Western Area Power Administration published its Strategic Roadmap 2024, titled "Powering the Energy Frontier," May 2014. “The Roadmap serves as WAPA’s strategic plan and will guide the agency’s actions for the next 10 years so we can continue to successfully deliver on our mission, manage resources effectively and operate safely, securely and reliably in a changing world,” said WAPA's CEO and Administrator Mark Gabriel.

The Roadmap identifies four Critical Pathways WAPA wants to achieve in the next 10 years. Learn more at Strategic Planning.

More information about WAPA's operations can be found in our Newsroom, fact sheets and publications.