GRDA, WFEC extend longstanding beneficial partnership through PPA

Two Oklahoma electric utilities that have partnered to help provide abundant electricity to rural communities and cooperatives for decades are extending that partnership for years to come.

In January, Western Farmers Electric Cooperative (WFEC) and the Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) announced that a power purchase agreement (PPA) between the entities, which first began 40 years ago, will be extended through 2050. Under the terms of that agreement, WFEC will continue to purchase 200 megawatts (MW) of electricity from GRDA to supplement its already diverse generation portfolio.

The WFEC-GRDA partnership began in 1983, shortly after GRDA entered the thermal generation market with the completion of the GRDA Unit and two coal-fired generators. Today, GRDA’s approximately 2,500 MW of generation capacity is spread across a diverse portfolio, including gas, coal, water, and wind resources.

“Both Western Farmers and GRDA were created at a time when there was a real need for rural electrification across Oklahoma, and both have made that a central part of their mission ever since,” said GRDA President/CEO Dan Sullivan. “GRDA is pleased to be able to extend both this partnership and the tradition of providing power to rural Oklahoma.”

The partnership extension also provides electric grid stability for both entities, allowing each to better plan for future needs across both systems as they continue to meet the evolving needs of their customer bases.

“GRDA and WFEC have worked towards improving the quality of life in rural Oklahoma for many years. WFEC places great value on our association with GRDA and looks forward to continuing our relationship well into the future,” said WFEC CEO Gary Roulet.