CUSTOMER BENEFITS

GRDA's Competitive Rates
As a not-for-profit, cost-of-service public power utility, the GRDA is able to keep its rates competitive. In fact, GRDA's rates consistently rank in the lowest 20 percent nationwide. GRDA has achieved, and maintains, these rates through the use of abundant hydro power (often referred to as free fuel) and inexpensive fossil fuel supplies.

The Power Cost Adjustment Mechanism (PCA)
GRDA's already-low rates are often aided by the power cost adjustment (PCA), computed twice a year. Established in 1984 to help stabilize rates, PCA is a rate mechanism used to make minor adjustments to the base rates to reflect actual cost of fuel used in electrical generation. The more negative the PCA number, the more credit customers receive. When fuel costs are lower than expected, a negative adjustment to bills can be made to pass the savings to customers.

How GRDA Ensures Reliability
Membership in the Southwest Power Pool (SPP).
GRDA has been a member of the Southwest Power Pool since 1969. This organization, which was established in 1941, ensures the reliability of electric service to nearly seven million customers in a 500,000-square-mile region. The pool's interconnected power grid stretches across parts of eight states including New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Members of the power pool, in times of emergency, can receive power across this grid from other power pool members. SPP is headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas.

The North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC).
In 1968, the electric utility industry formed the North American Electric Reliability Council to promote reliability among the bulk power suppliers of North America. NERC's nine regional reliability councils and one affiliate encompass all the power systems of North America (United States and Canada). Because its power grid links bulk power suppliers in all parts of the United States, the Southwest Power Pool, and all its members, like GRDA, play an extremely important role in the operation of the NERC system.

Membership in the Western Systems Power Pool. (WSPP).
WSPP is an organization of electric utilities that have joined together to open up opportunities in the power marketing field. In August of 1995, GRDA joined WSPP to better position itself for the deregulation and open markets of the electric industries future. As a member, GRDA can make surplus power marketing transactions via computer.