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Grand Lake's Pensacola
Dam |
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The mile-long Pensacola Dam - looking toward Disney on the far
right
It is the World's Longest Multiple Arch Dam
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| Pensacola Dam was the first hydroelectric facility in the state.
GRDA (Grand River
Dam Authority) built the dam between December 30, 1938, and March 21, 1940, when depression-era labor was abundant. It is located
at the south end of the lake adjacent to Disney, spanning over a mile across the Grand River Valley and holding back the 43,500 acres of water that form Grand Lake O' the Cherokees.
Historical photos depicting dam construction may be viewed in The Grand
Laker's History
section.
In an effort to increase reliability while holding down maintenance costs at Pensacola Dam, the Grand River Dam Authority began a major upgrade project there in the fall of 1997.
Though they are Oklahoma’s oldest hydroelectric turbine generators, the six units at Pensacola Dam have performed admirably at the facility for over 50 years. However, increased production capability following the upgrade will ensure that they will play a vital role in the GRDA generation system for the next 50 years and beyond. Following the upgrade, the units should combine to produce an additional 43,000 MWhrs annually.
A new design of turbine runners and turbine shafts, rewound generators, new excitation equipment, transformers and cable are all part of the upgrade. Each fall, one unit will be taken out of service and upgraded until the project is completed. Date of completion is tentatively scheduled for 2003. |
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Fingertip Facts
 | Length of dam/spillway ... 6,565 feet |
| Length of multiple-arch section ... 4,284 feet |
| Width of hollow buttress (52 buttresses) ... 24 feet |
| Clear arch (51) span ... 60 feet |
| Maximum height of dam ... 150 feet |
| Generation capacity ... 96,000 kilowatts (92 megawatts) |
| Earth excavation ... 2,870,000 cubic yards |
| Rock excavation ... 590,000 cubic yards |
| Cement ... 655,000 barrels |
| Concrete ... 535,000 cubic yards |
| Reinforcing steel ... 20,000,000 pounds |
| Structural steel ... 10,000,000 pounds |
| Copper ... 75,000 pounds |
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POWERHOUSE
| Length ... 279 feet |
| Width ... 72 feet |
| Height ... 80 feet |
TOTAL COST ... $27,000,000 |
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| The Grand River Dam Authority offers FREE tours of historic Pensacola Dam to the general public. During the summer (between Memorial Day and Labor Day holidays), tours are given five days a week, originating from the GRDA Lake Patrol office, located above the powerhouse on the west end of the dam. Call the Lake Patrol at 918-782-9594 for exact days and time during the summer. At other times of the year, groups can schedule a tour by contacting GRDA’s public relations coordinator at 918-256-5545. Tours do require a lot of walking and take about one hour to complete. |
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