What Grand River Dam Authority does

The Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) is a state of Oklahoma government agency and the state's largest public power electric utility, created in April 1935 as a conservation and reclamation district. GRDA operates three hydroelectric facilities — Pensacola Dam (Oklahoma's first hydroelectric facility, completed in 1940), the Robert S. Kerr Dam, and the Salina Pumped Storage Project (SPSP) — alongside the Grand River Energy Center, a natural gas generation facility currently expanding with a new Unit No. 4 (groundbreaking May 16, 2024). The agency also manages over 70,000 surface acres of premier Oklahoma lake waters including Grand Lake and Lake Hudson, as well as miles of the Scenic Illinois River, providing flood control in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Its "5E" mission frames operations across Electricity, Efficiency, Environmental Stewardship, Economic Development, and Employees.

GRDA generates revenue through wholesale electricity sales to municipal utilities, electric cooperatives, and large industrial customers across Oklahoma under negotiated monthly billing arrangements, supplemented by water sales and lake-related permits. The utility is fully funded by these revenues rather than tax appropriations and is governed by a seven-member board of directors appointed by the Oklahoma Governor, with representatives from each customer class and the GRDA lakes area. Major buyers include approximately 17 named municipal utilities (e.g., Claremore, Coffeyville, Miami, Pryor Creek, Stillwater, Tahlequah), electric cooperatives through the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives, and large industrial customers. Firm transmission service agreements also channel solar and other renewable power through GRDA infrastructure, including a 725 MW Leeward Renewable Energy (LRE) Oklahoma portfolio representing approximately $1.5 billion in investment.

GRDA maintains a workforce of over 600 Oklahomans across operational facilities including the Chouteau administrative headquarters, the Tulsa Engineering & Technology Center (9933 East 16th Street), and the Langley Ecosystems and Education Center (420 Highway 28). The utility is a member of key industry organizations including the Southwest Power Pool, American Public Power Association, Large Public Power Council, Oklahoma Municipal Alliance, National Hydropower Association, The Energy Authority, and the North American Transmission Forum. Recent strategic activity has emphasized capacity expansion (Grand River Energy Center Unit No. 4), grid modernization ($28.5 million in directed federal funding), and entry into advanced nuclear exploration via the Great Plains New Nuclear partnership with Nebraska Public Power District, Omaha Public Power District, and Lincoln Electric System.

Name

Grand River Dam Authority

Legal name

Grand River Dam Authority

Website

https://grda.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Grand River Dam Authority is Oklahoma's largest public power electric utility and state government agency, operating hydroelectric and natural gas generation facilities that sell wholesale electricity to municipal utilities, electric cooperatives, and industrial customers while managing 70,000+ surface acres of lake waters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Vinita

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Electricity Sales: GRDA generates revenue through the sale of electricity to municipal utilities, electric cooperatives, and industrial customers. GRDA is Oklahoma's largest public power electric utility, fully funded by revenues from electric and water sales instead of taxes.
2. Water Sales and Lake Management: Revenue from water sales and management of lake resources, permits, and recreational facilities under GRDA's control.
3. Transmission Service Agreements: GRDA receives power deliveries under firm transmission service agreements with utilities including AEP and OG&E, and serves as off-taker for renewable energy projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Grand River Dam Authority generates and wholesales electric power to municipal utilities, electric cooperatives, and industrial customers across Oklahoma through its hydroelectric facilities (Pensacola Dam, Robert S. Kerr Dam, Salina Pumped Storage Project) and natural gas generation plant (Grand River Energy Center). It also manages over 70,000 surface acres of Oklahoma lake waters (Grand Lake, Lake Hudson) and the Scenic Illinois River, providing flood control, lake permitting, environmental stewardship, and recreation services.

Product overview

Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) is Oklahoma's largest public power electric utility, fully funded by revenues from electric and water sales rather than taxes. The organization operates as a unified utility system comprising hydroelectric generation (Pensacola Dam, Robert S. Kerr Dam, and Salina Pumped Storage Project), natural gas generation (Grand River Energy Center), and waterway/lake management covering over 70,000 surface acres. GRDA delivers power to utilities including AEP, OG&E, and municipal customers under firm transmission service agreements, while also stewarding the waters of the Grand and Illinois Rivers. The company's '5E' mission focuses on Electricity, Efficiency, Environmental Stewardship, Economic Development, and Employees. GRDA is governed by a seven-member board of directors and maintains multiple facilities including the Engineering & Technology Center in Tulsa, Administrative Building in Chouteau, and Ecosystems and Education Center in Langley.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Electricity Generation and Distribution GRDA generates and distributes hydroelectric, natural gas, and contracted renewable power to wholesale customers including municipal utilities, electric cooperatives, and industrial customers across Oklahoma.
• Lake and Waterway Management Management of over 70,000 surface acres of Oklahoma lake waters including Grand Lake and Lake Hudson, plus miles of the Scenic Illinois River, providing flood control coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, lake permitting, shoreline management, and recreational services.
• Pensacola Dam Hydroelectric Facility Oklahoma's first hydroelectric facility, completed in 1940, producing renewable electric power from the waters of the Grand River under FERC licensing.
• Robert S. Kerr Dam Hydroelectric Facility Hydroelectric dam operating multiple units in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for flood control and renewable power generation in Oklahoma.
• Salina Pumped Storage Project (SPSP) Unique pumped storage hydroelectric facility that plays a vital role in GRDA's overall electricity production through stored water release for peak generation.
• Grand River Energy Center Natural gas-fired power generation facility located in Chouteau, Oklahoma, providing dispatchable thermal generation alongside GRDA's hydroelectric fleet.
• Economic Development Services Support for business and industry location and growth within the GRDA service area through competitive wholesale electricity rates and partnerships with public power communities across Oklahoma.
• GRDA Ecosystems and Education Center GRDA facility in Langley, Oklahoma that provides environmental education, free boater safety courses, public meetings, and community events for lake-area residents and visitors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,000 construction jobs supported through renewable energy partnerships
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Southwest Power PoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGRDA is a member of the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), a regional transmission organization that coordinates wholesale electric power and transmission services across multiple states.
• American Public Power AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGRDA is a member of APPA, a trade group representing more than 2,000 not-for-profit, community-owned electric utilities. Through this membership, GRDA receives national recognition for electric reliability and access to industry resources.
• Large Public Power CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGRDA is a member of the Large Public Power Council (LPPC), an association of the largest publicly owned electric utilities in the United States.
• Oklahoma Municipal AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGRDA is a member of the Oklahoma Municipal Alliance, connecting with municipal utilities across Oklahoma for shared resources and advocacy.
• National Hydropower AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGRDA is a member of the National Hydropower Association, supporting the hydropower industry and maintaining connections with other hydroelectric facility operators.
• The Energy AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGRDA is a member of The Energy Authority (TEA), a public power energy services company that provides market-based energy solutions.
• North American Transmission ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGRDA is a member of the North American Transmission Forum, which promotes excellence in transmission system operations and reliability.
• Northeast TechminorOthersGRDA donated a surplus bucket truck, with equipment donated by Altec, to Northeast Tech's Lineman Training Program at the Pryor campus. The 12-month program trains future electric lineworkers for careers in the field.
• Altec Inc.minorOthersAltec donated equipment for the bucket truck donated to Northeast Tech's lineman training program, supporting workforce development in the electrical field.
• Leeward Renewable Energy (LRE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGRDA receives power under firm transmission service agreements from LRE's 725 MW Oklahoma solar portfolio including Salt Branch Solar, Huckleberry Solar, Mayes Solar, and Twelvemile Solar projects. The portfolio represents approximately $1.5 billion in investment.
• Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNPPD, OPPD, LES, and GRDA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to form the Great Plains New Nuclear partnership to explore advanced nuclear energy development.
• Omaha Public Power District (OPPD)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOPPD joined with NPPD, LES, and GRDA in signing MOU for Great Plains New Nuclear partnership to explore advanced nuclear energy development.
• Lincoln Electric System (LES)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLES joined with NPPD, OPPD, and GRDA in signing MOU for Great Plains New Nuclear partnership to explore advanced nuclear energy development.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• American Electric Power (AEP): Large investor-owned utility holding firm transmission service agreements with GRDA. Comparable as a counterparty utility operating in Oklahoma, though substantially larger and multi-state rather than state-anchored.
• Oklahoma Gas and Electric (OG&E): Investor-owned utility serving Oklahoma and Arkansas, and a GRDA transmission partner. Comparable as a major in-state electricity provider, though investor-owned rather than publicly owned, and not a direct wholesale competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Bonneville Power Administration: Federal power marketing administration selling wholesale hydro-based electricity to public utilities across the Pacific Northwest. Comparable as a wholesale-only, publicly owned hydropower-centric seller with similar off-taker model.
• Tennessee Valley Authority: Federal public-power utility operating large-scale hydro, gas, and nuclear generation across multiple states. Directly comparable as a publicly owned, multi-resource power generator with integrated water-resource management responsibilities, though substantially larger than GRDA.

Direct peers

• Omaha Public Power District (OPPD): Public power district serving southeast Nebraska and a partner with GRDA in the Great Plains New Nuclear MOU. Comparable as a publicly owned wholesale generator of similar scale exploring next-generation generation technologies.
• Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD): Community-owned public power utility with significant hydro and renewable generation serving municipal customers in California. Comparable as a publicly owned, vertically integrated utility balancing hydro, natural gas, and renewables.
• Seattle City Light: Municipal utility with substantial hydroelectric generation and water-resource management responsibilities. Comparable as a publicly owned utility combining hydro generation with stewardship of water systems for a defined geographic service area.
• Chelan County PUD: Public utility district operating two of the largest hydroelectric projects in the Pacific Northwest, selling wholesale and retail power. Comparable as a publicly owned, hydro-dominated utility with integrated water resource stewardship.
• Nebraska Public Power District: Statewide public power district generating and transmitting electricity across Nebraska and a GRDA partner in the Great Plains New Nuclear MOU. Closely comparable as a publicly owned wholesale generator collaborating with GRDA on advanced nuclear.
• New York Power Authority: State-owned public power authority operating hydroelectric and natural gas generation, selling wholesale electricity to municipal and cooperative customers. Closely comparable as a state-government-owned, multi-resource public power wholesaler.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/okgrda
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/GrandRiverDamAuth
• Facebookfacebook.com/122342551147207
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/grand-river-dam-authority
• Instagraminstagram.com/grandriverdam

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Grand River Dam Authority