Progress in the performance of wide-gap Cu(In_1-x Ga _x )Se₂ (CIGSe) solar cells for x values around 0.5 has been demonstrated using CIGSe layers grown in the presence of water vapor. While CIGSe thin films deposited in the presence of water vapor showed variations in electrical properties such as increases in hole carrier density and a consequent enhancement of p-type conductivity, no significant changes in the morphology and growth orientation were observed. Both the open circuit voltages and current densities of the CIGSe solar cells were improved using CIGSe layers grown in water vapor. An 18.1%-efficient cell with an open circuit voltage of 0.744 V, a current density of 32.4 mA/cm² and a fill factor of 0.752 was fabricated from a 1.3 eV-CIGSe (x ∼0.48) layer.