About Western

Western's mission is to market and deliver reliable, renewable, cost-based hydroelectric power and related services. Our vision is to 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.

We're one of four power marketing administrations within the U.S. Department of Energy whose role is to market and transmit electricity from multi-use water projects. Our service area encompasses a 15-state region of the central and western U.S. in which our transmission system carries electricity from 56 power plants operated by the Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the International Boundary and Water Commission, and one coal-fied plant . Together, these plants have an installed capacity of 10,505 megawatts.

To carry out our mission, we follow our Core Values:

Honesty: We believe in honest interactions and expect the highest standards of personal and organizational integrity.
Respect and trust: We are committed to a workplace that values each employee. We nurture each other by respecting and trusting individuals; benefiting from their unique personalities, backgrounds and talents; and recognizing their diverse roles within Western.
Communication: We foster open communication and feedback among individuals and groups by creating a positive work environment free of intimidation and reprisal. We listen to and value each other’s views.
Quality: We achieve quality through continuous improvement of our processes, products and services. We reward creativity, productivity and excellence.
Environment, Safety and Health: We are committed to an accident-free and healthy workplace. We believe in protecting and enhancing the environment and that these investments are sound business practices. Environmental excellence and workplace safety must be fully integrated into the operation of all Western’s programs.
Service: We are in service to our Nation, our region and our customers. We serve the needs of the public and manage the resources under our stewardship in a cost-effective and environmentally sensitive manner. We listen to our customers and value their satisfaction.

Western’s role in the electric utility industry
Western is a wholesale power provider. We sell and transmit power through 17,000 miles of lines and 296 substations. This power is generated at 56 Federal dams plus the coal-fired Navajo Generating Station to 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.

Western’s Strategic Plan and Targets
The Strategic Plan is our roadmap to ensure we can continue to achieve our core mission of delivering cost-based, renewable, non-carbon-emitting Federal hydropower to our firm electric service customers while addressing the challenges before us and getting maximum benefit from our resources.

Recently, Western’s senior management team updated Western’s strategic plan. Our core mission remains the same. We are working to remain nimble to keep pace with industry trends and issues that continue to confront us and our customers at a faster and faster pace—be they regulatory, budgetary, legislative, environmental or other initiatives not yet imagined.

As part of the continual process of making the long-term business commitments described in our Strategic Plan a reality, you can read our Fiscal Year 2013 Strategic Targets and Acting Administrator Anita Decker's memo to the Energy Deputy Secretary regarding the how Western supports DOE's Strategic Plan.

Also available is our Fiscal Year 2012 Strategic Targets Performance Summary and memo to Energy Deputy Secretary regarding Western's performance.

More information about Western's operations can be found in our annual report (pdf) and strategic plan. Also, visit our Newsroom for fact sheets and publications on Western's activities.