Did you know that the Grand River Dam Authority is second only to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) in jurisdiction over state water resources? It’s true, at no cost to Oklahoma tax payers GRDA lakes provide storage and water supply for 50 Oklahoma water districts and municipals systems in our state, at an average of $0.10/thousands gallons delivered.

When GRDA merged with the Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission (OSRC) in July of 2016, responsibilities over state waters expanded even more. Today (again, at no cost to Oklahoma tax payers), GRDA is providing lake and river security, promoting user safety, practicing proper stewardship and resource management and doing its part to protect the natural resources under its control, all along some of Oklahoma’s most popular waterways: Grand Lake, Lake Hudson and the scenic Illinois River

Meanwhile, the hydroelectric facilities that created these lakes (Pensacola Dam and Robert S. Kerr Dam) continue to play an important role in GRDA’s overall electricity production portfolio. Today, that diverse portfolio includes hydro, coal, gas and even wind generation assets that are producing electricity that touches 75 of 77 counties in Oklahoma. More directly, 16 GRDA municipal customer communities in Oklahoma, as well as the industries within the MidAmerica Industrial Park, depend on that electricity 24/7/365.

Those relationships and the overall mission of GRDA are what drive our workforce of 600-plus Oklahomans on a daily basis. At no cost to Oklahoma taxpayers, GRDA’s team is working everyday to produce power, promote economic development and protect natural resources, while always striving for new efficiencies. That has been the GRDA mission for over 75 years.

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. 

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