Power for Progress…A weekly column from the Grand River Dam Authority Summer greetings from GRDA

As a proud member of 26 chambers of commerce, economic development and marketing associations across Oklahoma, the Grand River Dam Authority is right at home in Oklahoma hometowns. Whether those communities are located around the lakes GRDA manages or they are the public power communities that receive reliable, abundant GRDA wholesale electricity, the Authority’s connections to Oklahoma communities remain strong.

Most of those connections stretch back many decades. In fact, several of GRDA’s public power partnerships with Oklahoma communities are over 75 years. All those years and all those relationships have helped make the benefits of public power a reality for generations of Oklahomans who call these communities home. It is not only about economic development support (which is central to the GRDA mission), but also about enhancing quality of life in the Oklahoma hometowns where we all live, work and play.

In a public power community, the local electric distribution system is owned and managed by the citizen-customers it serves. The utility buys electricity from GRDA at wholesale rates and resells it across the community at retail rates. The profit made from those sales is then used to maintain the utility, purchase more electricity from GRDA and help fund other important city services like police and fire protection, streets, and parks. In fact, in a typical year, GRDA’s public power partner communities in Oklahoma combine to return approximately $38 million to city general funds. And it is all accomplished without using any tax dollars.

If you are looking for summer activities close to home, check out what these Oklahoma communities have to offer. GRDA is proud to not only provide power but also proud to support the many fairs, festivals, concerts, rodeos, and other uniquely Oklahoman events you can find, just about every weekend in the summer, in Oklahoma public power communities and all across the GRDA lakes region. That includes the many hometown fireworks shows during the upcoming July 4 holiday.

Have a great summer!

GRDA is Oklahoma’s largest 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. 

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