HEADQUARTERS BROCHURE

California State Parks and Recreation, the U.S. Air Force Academy and the Fort Mojave Indian tribe are three of nearly 700 customers that rely on cost-based, hydroelectric power from WAPA. Whether the need is for lighting ballparks and classrooms or providing power to Native American community centers, we serve the West with reliable and affordable energy.
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​WAPA, as one of four power marketin​g administrations within the Department of Energy, sells wholesale power and bulk wholesale transmission to local utilities, which then provide the power to more than 40 million Americans. Employees work around the clock to keep power moving through the interconnected transmission system so that electricity ultimately reaches your home or business.​

WHAT WE DO

WAPA sells more than 30,000 gigwatt-hours of electricity each year throughout the West. Our customers provide this power to more than 40 million Americans. We market hydroelectric generation from 57 powerplants owned and operated by the Bureau of Reclamation, the Army Corps of Engineers and the International Boundary and Water Commission (U.S. section), which makes up about 40 percent of the available hydropower generated in the West. These powerplants have a combined maximum operating capability of more than 10,500 megawatts. Under 24/7 operations, we then deliver power through transmission lines, substations and other power facilities that span our 1.4 million-square-mile service territory. WAPA employees manage projects; ensure environmental protection; establish and monitor system security, reliability and employee safety; design operate and maintain transmission systems; schedule and route power; administer contracts and set rates; analyze hydroelectric resources; and handle administrative functions to deliver power to our customers, which include:

• Municipalities.​
• Rural electric cooperatives.
• Native American tribes.
• Public utility and irrigation districts.
• Federal and state agencies.
• Investor-owned utilities.

These power customers, in turn, provide service to retail consumers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.​

FACING THE FUTURE

The energy industry is rapidly evolving in an environment of new technologies, market designs, generation sources, increasing expectations of service and reliability and an aging infrastructure. We work at the forefront of technological advances and, amid these unprecedented changes to streamline operations, find new efficiencies, meet reliability standards and prepare our infrastructure for the next generation of energy needs. As we adapt to the changes, however, we remain committed to our legacy of stellar customer service. We realize the importance of maintaining the best possible connections with our customers and providing personal, exceptional service. As we adjust to the new industry realities—integrating new grid technologies and market designs, connecting a variety of generation sources and types and increasing compliance standards—we will continue to work with customers to ensure our system is strong, responsive and available for delivering cost-based power and related ancillary services.​