LAKEWOOD, CO – U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman today announced the selection of Timothy J. Meeks as the new Administrator of the Western Area Power Administration (Western), effective Jan. 4, 2007.

“Tim is a committed public servant who brings years of leadership experience and engineering expertise to the post,” Secretary Bodman said.  “In addition, I would like to congratulate the outgoing administrator Michael Hacskalyo for his dedicated service to the Department of Energy and wish him well in his retirement.”

Mr. Meeks currently serves as Western’s Chief Operating Officer where he provides executive leadership and strategic direction for Western’s engineering and administrative programs critical to Western’s mission.  Mr. Meeks's career spans 24 years in the electrical utility industry.  He began his career in government in 1982 as an engineering student with Western in Sacramento, CA.  As a new college graduate, he joined Western as an electrical engineer.  Mr. Meeks has served in progressively responsible positions with Western including Maintenance Manager for the Sierra Nevada Region and Assistant Administrator for Power Marketing Liaison in Washington, D.C.

A California native, Mr. Meeks earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronics engineering and a master’s degree in engineering. He is currently completing a master’s degree in counseling psychology.  A registered professional engineer in California, he is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society.

Western is a part of the U.S. Department of Energy, and markets and delivers reliable, cost-based hydroelectric power and related services within a 15-state region of the central and western U.S.

"Western is an important provider of electricity to the people of the region, and I look forward to working with Tim to continue Western's strong record of reliability," Secretary Bodman said.

Western’s current Administrator Michael S. Hacskalyo will be retiring from federal service at the end of the year after a distinguished career with Western and earlier with the Department of the Interior.

Media contact(s):
Craig Stevens, (202) 586-4940