Grand River Dam AuthorityGrand River Dam Authority is an agency of the state of Oklahoma, primarily supported by customer revenues from the sale of electricity, instead of taxes. A not-for-profit entity, GRDA is an active member of the American Public Power Association and is one of nearly 2,200 public power utilities in the United States.
GRDA was created in 1935 when the 15th Oklahoma Legislature passed Senate Bill 395, which called for the establishment of "a conservation and reclamation district for the waters of the Grand River." It is responsible for the construction and operation of dams along the river for the purposes of hydroelectricity production and flood control.
Today, GRDA's three hydroelectric facilities have a combined capability of 470 megawatts (MW) of power, while its two thermal-generation, coal-fired units can produce a combined 1,010 MW. GRDA's total generation capability is 1,480 MW.
GRDA transmits and delivers electricity across its 24-county service area in Northeastern Oklahoma via a sophisticated energy-delivery system that includes 1,175 miles of transmission line. GRDA sells wholesale power to three classes of customers: municipals, electric cooperatives and industries.
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