Looking back on GRDA’s 2022: Part 2

Taking flight
GRDA Lineman (and drone pilot) Jerry Doak draws a crowd of interested students as his demonstrates a drone during the Mayes County STEM Showcase in May, at the Mayes County Events Center. That event was just one many ways Team GRDA supported area students and educators in 2022.

Power for Progress…

A weekly column from the Grand River Dam Authority

Looking back on GRDA’s 2022: Part 2

As the Grand River Dam Authority moves into 2023, we also wanted to take a quick look back at the year 2022. This week, we review a busy spring season for Team GRDA …

April: As March gave way to April, GRDA was being recognized as a “Reliable Public Power Provider” by the American Public Power Association. This RP3 designation, which lasts for three years, recognizes public power utilities that demonstrate proficiency in four key disciplines: reliability, safety, workforce development, and system improvement. GRDA was also awarded the designation in 2019.

Later in the month, GRDA played host to a large crowd of law enforcement and emergency response agencies as it conducted the annual exercise for its Emergency Action Plan (EAP). This exercise is important because it helps all parties to stay familiar with the EAP while also providing opportunities for open communications and relationship building ahead of any possible emergency situations. Also in April, the GRDA Ecosystems and Watershed Management Department released its 2021 annual review, entitled Ecosystems Explorations. You can find that informational report online at grda.com.

May: Team GRDA stayed busy in May with much activity around the lakes and rivers, and in customer communities. During the month, the GRDA Properties Department completed its work to make repairs and upgrades at the Snowdale Park on the shores of Lake Hudson. Due to that, GRDA was able to reopen the popular lakeside destination for day use. Also in May, several GRDA employees, from various departments, took part in the Mayes County STEM Showcase, to give students from across the county an up-close look at some of the STEM-based careers at GRDA.

Finally, to cap off May, GRDA joined with the Tahlequah Public Works Authority to celebrate the 75^th anniversary of the relationship between the two entities. GRDA began serving the community with abundant public power in 1947.

June: The celebrations continued into June as GRDA also joined with Wagoner Public Works to celebrate the 75^th anniversary with that community as well. Both celebrations demonstrated the longstanding, beneficial role public power has played in developing these Oklahoma communities.

Also in June, GRDA completed work on the Cleveland substation project, without any delays. GRDA’s Engineering, Transmission, Substation, Relay, Communication and SCADA groups all directly contributed to the project’s successful completion.

Next week, we will take a quick look at GRDA’s activities during the summer months.

GRDA is Oklahoma’s largest public power 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.