Power for Progress: Answering the call, helping restore power

Mutual Aid in the Sunshine State
GRDA powerline maintenance crews work to restore power near Lakeland, Florida in late September, after Hurricane Ian damage the city’s electric distribution system. GRDA crews, along with linemen from the City of Skiatook, traveled to the area as part of a nationwide public power mutual aid program, coordinated by the American Public Power Association.

Power for Progress…

A weekly column from the Grand River Dam Authority

Answering the call, helping restore power

The Grand River Dam Authority contingent that recently helped restore electricity service in Florida, following Hurricane Ian, has now safely returned to Oklahoma.

Originally planning to help restore any damage in the Tallahassee, Florida area, the crew was reassigned after Ian took a turn and instead, our team, along with four electric linemen from the City of Skiatook, instead helped restore power in the Lakeland, Florida area.

Once again, it was an example of public power answering the call.

In fact, while Oklahoma is far from the hurricane zones, GRDA has provided plenty of assistance over the years to help rebuild what Mother Nature takes apart. Following storms such as Rita, Irma, Matthew, Harvey, Delta, Ida, and Ian, GRDA linemen and police officers and other Oklahoma public power team members have responded to Florida, North Carolina, Louisiana, and Texas to help put power lines back in the air or assist with water rescue efforts.

When GRDA personnel move in to assist with storm restoration, they take a wealth of knowledge with them. Here in Oklahoma, that knowledge has been gained by restoration efforts following ice storms, tornados, microbursts and even wildfires in recent years. At the same time, those events have helped our team to hone its skills while working together safety and quickly to get the job done, time and time again.

Although public power utilities are located all across the country, when it comes time to assist in restoration efforts, it’s a “neighbors helping neighbors” effort. GRDA was again proud to be a part of this nationwide mutual aid effort, coordinated by the American Public Power Association (APPA). We are proud of our team that helped to get the lights back on.

GRDA is Oklahoma’s 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.