The Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) delivers federal hydropower to more than 40 million Americans every year. In this episode of Grid Talk, host Marty Rosenberg talks with Mark Gabriel who is the CEO and Administrator for WAPA. Mr. Gabriel explains how market dynamics are pushing the transmission grid to its limits. 

“We’re adding more and more of the very thing that is pushing us to those limits. I think we’ve got to get a balance of those things.”

We’ll also hear what’s holding up dozens of projects to improve our transmission infrastructure. 

Mark Gabriel is Administrator and CEO of the Western Area Power Administration. Gabriel manages the nonprofit federal organization, which markets and delivers low-cost federal hydropower from 57 hydroelectric plants to wholesale customers. 

Mr. Gabriel holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Fordham University in New York and completed the coursework for a master’s degree in administration and management from Saint Michael’s College in Vermont.