News

Looking back on GRDA’s 2023: Part 2

Jan 16, 2024

Reliable work … GRDA crews change out electric structures in the MidAmerica Industrial Park (MAIP) on a summer day in 2023. During the year, GRDA was once again recognized for excellent electric reliability in MAIP, by the American Public Power Association.

This week we continue our 2023 Grand River Dam Authority Year in Review, with a look back at the second quarter of the year. Spring and early summer were busy times for Team GRDA. Here are a few of the highlights …

In April, 10 members of Team GRDA traveled to the Navajo Reservation in Monument Valley, Arizona to participate in the Light Up Navajo Project. A joint effort between the American Public Power Association (APPA) and the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority, the project brought together electric lineworkers from public power utilities across the country to spend a week in Arizona, helping to bring electricity to reservation homes that have never been connected before. This was the second time GRDA has participated in the program.

Also in April, the American Public Power Association (APPA) recognized GRDA for electric reliability excellence to its customers in the MidAmerica Industrial Park. It marked the fifth time in six years for GRDA to receive that recognition.

Internally, May 5 was an important milestone at the Grand River Energy Center (GREC) as it marked 365 days without a lost time working accident. That occurred about the same time that crews there were wrapping up an important scheduled maintenance outage on Unit 2 and beginning one on Unit 3. Meanwhile, over on the Illinois River, GRDA crews, along with contractors, and representatives from the City of Siloam Springs were onsite at the new WOKA Whitewater Park for an important bulkhead gate test. Prior to the park opening (which would take place in September), the gate testing was one of the final fine-tuning steps.

Unfortunately, the big news in June revolved around the Father’s Day windstorm that blew through the area, causing damage to powerlines both on GRDA’s system and in GRDA municipal customer communities. For GRDA, much of the damage was located along powerlines near Owasso and Chelsea. However, crews were able to make repairs quickly and safely.

In part 3, we will review GRDA highlights from the summer of 2023.