Michelle Cathcart

Michelle Cathcart was named senior vice president of Power Services in October 2025. In this position, she is responsible for the acquisition, sales and scheduling of wholesale and bulk power; generation asset management of the federal hydro system and one nuclear plant; management of wholesale power contracts and rates; energy efficiency; and business relationships with more than 140 retail utility customers. Power Services produces $3 billion in annual revenues and has an annual capital budget of over $200 million. 

Cathcart has extensive leadership experience in the energy industry. Cathcart first came to BPA in 2016 as the vice president of Transmission System Operations, where she oversaw operations at BPA’s two control centers, as well as operations planning and training. Since 2023, Cathcart had served as the vice president of Generation Asset Management where she was responsible for BPA’s asset management, operations and planning of the Federal Columbia River Power System. 

Prior to joining BPA, Cathcart worked for Peak Reliability, the reliability coordinator for the Western Interconnection, where she served as the director of Strategy and Organizational Performance and as director of operations. She has also worked for the Western Electricity Coordinating Council and Madison Gas and Electric Company. 

Cathcart holds a bachelor’s degree is general engineering from Swarthmore College, master’s and doctorate degrees in geography and environmental engineering from Johns Hopkins University and an Executive Master of Business Administration from Washington State University.

Downloadable 5x7 image