News

Proud of our veteran team….

Nov 13, 2020

Lending a hand in Louisiana … A GRDA lineman climbs an electric distribution pole in Lafayette, Louisiana, to make repairs following damage left by Hurricane Delta. A crew of 15 GRDA employees traveled to Louisiana on October 8 to provide assistance, as part of a nationwide public power mutual aid program.

Power for Progress… a weekly column from the Grand River Dam Authority.

As we celebrate Veteran’s Day 2020, the Grand River Dam Authority once again uses this space to recognize a significant portion of our workforce that previously served in the United States Armed Forces.

Today, they are electric linemen, mechanics, relay technicians, plant operators, engineers, safety coordinators and more. Yesterday, they were soldiers and sailors, airmen and marines. Today, they are at work in power plants, in bucket trucks, in offices and shops right here in Northeast Oklahoma. Yesterday, they were on ships, in tanks and stationed at military bases around the globe. Today, we are proud they are here with us and we are proud to call them our coworkers.

Roughly ten percent of the current GRDA workforce is comprised of military veterans. Meanwhile, many GRDA retirees also served in the military before beginning their careers with our organization. Down through the years, the experiences, expertise and devotion to duty demonstrated by these individuals have helped GRDA to accomplish its 24/7/365 mission for Oklahoma. With the skills learned in the military, these men and women have helped to build and operate electric generation and transmission assets like dams and substations. They have also helped to guide the Authority on a daily basis in hundreds of different roles. Their service to the country continues to benefit GRDA and the state of Oklahoma today.

So, once again, as we pause to celebrate Veteran’s Day 2020, we salute our veteran workforce including those with us today and those who are now enjoying retirement. Thank you, Team GRDA!

GRDA is Oklahoma’s 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.