News
GRDA recognized for exceptional electric reliability in 2021
Apr 06, 2022
To help ensure the reliable delivery of electricity, GRDA linemen perform maintenance on an electric distribution pole in the MidAmerica Industrial Park. In late March, the American Public Power Association (APPA) recognized GRDA for “exceptional electric reliability” during 2021. It marked the fourth time in five years that GRDA received that recognition.
For the third straight year, and the fourth time in five years, the Grand River Dam Authority has received national recognition for achieving exceptional electric reliability.
The recognition comes from the American Public Power Association (APPA), a trade group that represents more than 2,000 not-for-profit, community-owned electric utilities.
APPA helps electric utilities track power outage and restoration data through its subscription-based eReliability Tracker service and then compares the data to national statistics tracked by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) for all types of electric utilities.
GRDA received the recognition primarily for its reliability record among its distribution customers in the MidAmerica Industrial Park. Based on EIA data, GRDA ranks in the top quartile (25 percent) of utilities for System Average Interruption Duration Index. GRDA also received this recognition in 2018, 2020 and 2021.
“Once again, public power utilities have demonstrated their commitment to providing highly reliable power to their customers.” said Alex Hofmann, APPA’s Vice President of Technical and Operations Services. “We commend these utilities for their hard work when it comes to keeping the lights on in their communities.”
Nationwide, the average public power customer has their lights out for less than half the amount of time that customers of other types of utilities do.
“GRDA is proud to be part of the public power industry, which sets the standard for electric reliability all across the country,” said GRDA President/Chief Executive Officer Dan Sullivan. “Our team works every day to meet that standard, to benefit our ratepayers and fulfill the GRDA mission.”
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.