News
GRDA by the numbers
Aug 17, 2021
By the numbers … Six: that is the number of hydroelectric-turbine generators inside the Pensacola Dam powerhouse. GRDA has been producing renewable hydroelectricity at the facility for over 80 years (Lee Buchsbaum/LMB Photography).Power for Progress… a weekly column from the Grand River Dam Authority.
With schools now back in session and students across the region once again studying reading, writing and arithmetic we thought it would a good time to write about a few numbers of our own. As you read through them, we do hope you can see how the many facets of the Grand River Dam Authority mission adds up to great benefits for the State of Oklahoma.
- 15: That is the number of Oklahoma public power communities that receive their wholesale electricity supply from GRDA.
- 10: That is how many of these communities have been receiving GRDA wholesale electricity for more than 65 years.
- 82,000: Combined, that is roughly the number of electric meters in these communities. GRDA delivers the electricity to the community-owned electric utility and that utility then resells it to these end-users. That is the public power model.
- 11: In millions of dollars, that is the approximate amount of money GRDA spends in a single year on government services, related to its lakes (lake patrols, water monitoring, ecological operations, economic development, etc.). And it is all done at no cost to Oklahoma taxpayers.
- 81: That is how many years GRDA has been producing renewable hydroelectricity at its Pensacola Dam. Here’s another history lesson: Pensacola Dam was Oklahoma’s first hydroelectric facility.
- Finally, 5: That stands for the “5 E’s of Excellence” mission adopted by GRDA in 2015. That mission focuses on employees, electricity, economic development, environmental stewardship, and efficiency. Hopefully, all these previous numbers help to illustrate how GRDA is working towards this 5E goal every day.
Your friends at GRDA want you to have a safe, productive, and enjoyable new school year!
GRDA is Oklahoma’s largest public power utility; fully funded by revenues from electric and water sales instead of taxes. Each day, GRDA strives to be an “Oklahoma agency of excellence” by focusing on the 5 E’s: electricity, economic development, environmental stewardship, employees and efficiency.