Looking back on GRDA’s 2016: Part 1

A powerful moment in 2016 … GRDA employees pose in front of the Authority’s new, highly-efficient gas turbine at the Tulsa Port of Catoosa last February. The turbine’s arrival in Oklahoma was one of the Authority’s highlights from 2016. This week’s column kicks off a “year in review” that looks back on this and other moments from the year.

The year 2016 was one of expanding responsibilities, milestone moments, workforce accomplishments and even some difficult challenges for the Grand River Dam Authority. As the year now begins to wind down, it seemed appropriate to look back on some of the issues that made it such a memorable year for our workforce. 

Dealing with Mother Nature: While most of the heavy rains fell in the Grand River watershed in late 2015, GRDA rang in 2016 with floodgate operations at both Pensacola and Robert S. Kerr dams. On December 29, 2015, Pensacola Dam recorded the second-largest release of water in its 75 year history. At the same time, Kerr Dam was recording the largest release in its 51 year history. Working under the direction of the United States Army Corps of Engineers, GRDA would keep floodgates open through mid-January to move those heavy inflows downstream as safely and quickly as possible.

Special Delivery: Even the rain and gray skies could not dampen the mood in February when GRDA celebrated the arrival of the most important component in its new Unit 3 gas generation plant. That component, the highly efficient M501J turbine, will be the first of its kind in operation in the western hemisphere when the new unit is completed in 2017. GRDA celebrated the turbine’s arrival at the Port of Catoosa on February 23, after the turbine was shipped via barge all the way from Savannah, Georgia, where it was constructed. GRDA celebrated its arrival with a special ceremony, to highlight not only the milestone moment on a path to new, efficient generation, but also the importance of infrastructure – like the port – that helps to make such generation projects feasible in Northeast Oklahoma.

GRDA’s year in review continues next week with a look back at safety milestones and lake events…

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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