APA History

The Authority is a body, corporate and politic, without taxing power, established by the Arizona Legislature on May 27, 1944 by the Power Authority Act. Under the Power Authority Act, the Authority is directed to obtain electric power developed from the mainstream of the Colorado River and sell such power to certain qualified purchasers. The Power Authority Act provides that the Authority must be a self-supporting agency and prohibits the Authority from incurring any obligation which would be binding upon the State of Arizona.

The Authority supplies capacity and energy on a wholesale basis to certain power purchasers in the State of Arizona. The Authority’s primary source of power and energy is the Hoover Power Plant at Hoover Dam, located approximately 25 miles from Las Vegas, Nevada. Hoover power is produced by the Boulder Canyon Project hydro-power plant owned by the Bureau of Reclamation. Hoover Dam is the highest and third largest concrete dam in the United States of America. Hoover Dam was dedicated in 1935 and the first generator of the Hoover Power Plant was in full operation in October 1936. The Hoover Power Plant has been in continuous operation since that time. Power and energy from the Hoover Power Plant is transmitted to load centers in Arizona, California and Nevada. The Authority first contracted for Arizona’s share of Hoover power in 1952 and has continuously provided power and energy to its customers since that time.

The Authority is governed by a commission of five members appointed by the Governor and approved by the State Senate (the “Commission”). The term of office for each member is six years and the members select a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership for two-year terms.