Legislators Make Another Attempt at Selling GRDA

grda

Another move is being made in the state legislature to sell the Grand River Dam Authority. The charge is led by Sen. Greg Treat, R-Edmond and Rep. Leslie Osborn, R-Mustang.

And some believe because of the committee positions held by Treat and Osborn, such a sale might stand a chance of winning legislative approval. Senator Treat is the second-ranked member of Senate leadership while Rep. Osborn is the incoming chair of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee.

Such a sale would be complicated and also involve federal regulators. The Tulsa World on Monday reported that GRDA officials claim to be open to discuss a proposal.

“We’re completely open and willing to have this discussion,” said GRDA CEO Dan Sullivan, who is a former GOP legislator. “We just don’t think we need to have it every year.”

No state funds are appropriated to the GRDA and it operates independently of state government. What would the Authority bring for the state?  Hard to say but the GRDA in its most recent annual financial report listed net assets of $594.5 million.

The GRDA was created in 1935 to operate the hydroelectric Pensacola Dam on Grand River but construction wasn’t finished until 1940. Two more hydroelectric facilities were added as well as a coal-fired generation plant near Chouteau. Work is currently underway on a new natural gas plant.

The GRDA sells electricity to 16 municipal utilities, rural cooperatives and to the industrial customers at the Mid-American Industrial Park near Pryor.