GRDA Department spotlight: Relay

While the power plants and high voltage electric transmission lines and substations are among the most visible images of the Grand River Dam Authority’s electric utility role, there is much going on throughout the system to ensure that reliable electricity moves from Point A to Point B. This week, we wanted to focus on one of the GRDA departments that helps make it happen.

The GRDA Relay Department is comprised of 15 Team GRDA members who bring over 170 years of combined experience to the job every day. The department’s overriding role is protection and control of the energy delivery system. “Relays” are the switches found in substations and at other points along the system, that open and close circuits electromechanically or electronically. The Relay Department makes sure these switches and associated equipment is always working properly.

Like other departments at GRDA, the Relay Department is comprised of “first responders” who are called out at times of unexpected outages, caused by Mother Nature or other events. In the field, Relay works closely with other GRDA departments to make repairs and replace equipment when necessary. At the same time, the department has a large documentation responsibility, keeps track of what equipment needs to be tested (and when), and completes that testing in accordance with the latest North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and Southwest Power Pool (SPP) standards. 

Staying compliant, and staying on top of all the tasks at hand, is truly a team effort for the GRDA Relay Department. These Team GRDA members help GRDA to meet is reliability mission 24/7/365.

Headquartered in Vinita, GRDA is Oklahoma’s state-owned electric 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.