Western Area Power Administration’s Post

With a blistering, hot weekend expected throughout much of the West … it’s only fitting we witness the beauty of the desert for this week’s #PhotogenicFriday … This week’s image captures some of the beautiful, serpentine shapes of sandstone found adjacent to the Glen Canyon Switchyard Tower and Dam. The image, captured by former High Voltage Electrician Randy Hammit in 2017, shows the splendor of the eroded rock formations with Glen Canyon Dam, which is found at the edge of Lake Powell in northern #Arizona. Glen Canyon Dam has an installed capacity of 1,320 megawatts. WAPA TIP: BEAT THE HEAT! Make sure to have a plan in hot weather to stay safe and hydrated! #PhotogenicFridays #Electric #Infrastructure #Hydropower #CleanEnergy

In this edition of "How I Power WAPA Forward," we hear from Stacey Decker, a senior member of WAPA’s Strategy office at its headquarters in Lakewood #Colorado. Stacey helps ensure that WAPA’s workforce understands how they fit into the organization’s strategic plan, Power Forward 2030. Additionally, through strategic workforce management, Stacey supports the analysis and evaluation of its team members, placing the right people in the right place at the right time to support WAPA’s mission. ⚡ #hydro #electric #WAPA #PowerForward2030 

A big congrats goes out to WAPA’s own Kayti Bashore for being recognized with the 2024 HR Strategic Partnership Award! The award, now in its fourth year, is presented annually by the Power Marketing Administrations Human Resources Shared Service Center. Kayti, an administrative officer for WAPA’s Upper Great Plains regional office in Billings #Montana serves as a liaison between management, employees, and human resources. Well done Kayti! #Hydropower #CleanEnergy #ElectricPower #HumanResources #Recognition 

Is it a mirage? NO! It’s #PhotogenicFriday …   In one of WAPA’s more unique locations, Shawn Berkram with our Desert Southwest regional office snapped this shot of the shifting sands of the Rice Valley Dunes. Built in the late 1960s, the DSW Parker-Blythe No. 2 line requires maintenance teams to be dispatched once or twice a year to maintain access and "phase-to-dune" clearance for public safety.    Shawn, the project’s manager, and his photo earned 3rd place the following year in WAPA’s 45th Anniversary photo contest.   BONUS: In preparation for deploying to North Africa during World War II, the U.S. Army spent time training in this location to better prepare them for desert warfare. Because of this unique history, construction of Parker-Blythe No. 2 line required the U.S. Army to sweep the right-of-way for "munition remnants."   #PhotogenicFridays #Electric #Infrastructure #Hydropower #CleanEnergy

On this day in 1776, America’s founding fathers came together to usher in a new nation with the signing of a document that enshrined the rights of Americans for centuries to come – the Declaration of Independence.   On America’s 248th birthday, the Western Area Power Administration family wishes you and yours a safe and Happy Independence Day!   #hydro #electric #cleanenergy #transmission #America #UnitedStates #HappyBirthday

Throughout the month of June, #WAPA took pride in acknowledging and celebrating national Pride Month. The federal government has come a long way from its past and taken strides toward a more diverse and inclusive culture. Many federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), now participate in and celebrate Pride Month throughout their organizations through many activities, observances and celebrations.  Perhaps one of the most powerful ways an organization or an individual shows support for the LGBTQ+ community is by displaying the Pride flag throughout June. Flags represent a powerful emblem of hope, strength and resilience, and raising the Pride flag shows us just that. When displayed, it represents a symbol of support, community, inclusion and for many, a safe space to be who they are without ridicule, judgment or harassment. The Pride flag represents support for diversity, inclusion and allyship for this community. Read our full story on WAPA’s Closed Circuit: https://lnkd.in/et8qTqvb #PrideMonth #inclusion #diversity #equality #hydro #electric #cleanenergy #transmission

In this edition of "How I Power WAPA Forward," we hear from Jonathan Wilson, the energy management and marketing office manager for WAPA’s Colorado River Storage Project office in Montrose, #Colorado. Jonathan and his team ensure WAPA delivers clean, renewable #hydropower throughout the Western U.S. ⚡   https://lnkd.in/e79vvK6v   #hydro #electric #WAPA #PowerForward2030

It was another gorgeous morning in America’s Midwest when a member of WAPA’s team at its Watertown, South Dakota, facility snapped this sunrise… and it’s perfect for this week’s #PhotogenicFriday post.   On Sept. 26, 2022, Jon Solum, a facilities operations specialist assigned to WAPA’s Upper Great Plains region, captured both the location’s control center and the essence of a colorful, fall sunrise as the area’s corn was beginning to reach its peak.   His efforts to capture the essence of eastern South Dakota brought him 4th place overall in WAPA’s 45th Anniversary photo contest in 2022.   #PhotogenicFridays #Electric #Infrastructure #Hydropower #CleanEnergy

WAPA’s Electric Power Training Center, a dedicated facility to train the grid and hydropower plant operators who make up the backbone of the North American power grid, recently hosted an open house to showcase its recent upgrades and renovations. EPTC staff was stationed around the facility informing numerous visitors of the improvements and performing demonstrations in between. The newly renovated classrooms at EPTC have an open-concept design and modern amenities. Each classroom features a projector screen and dedicated bathrooms, creating a fresh and professional learning environment. A guided tour showcased hydropower and transmission, culminating in a visit to the Miniature Power System, a simulated control room and electric power system at the back of the facility. EPTC’S open house event marked a new chapter for the EPTC and WAPA. WAPA employees can now enjoy new meeting spaces with hybrid capabilities, and students from across North America can have an experience like no other utilizing the Miniature Power System and upgraded course rooms. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/efepdbZe #Training #Hydropower #CleanEnergy #ElectricPower #STEM #Education