The Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC: "The ''Reliable'' One") is a municipally-owned
public utility
A public utility company (usually just utility) is an organization that maintains the infrastructure for a public service (often also providing a service using that infrastructure). Public utilities are subject to forms of public control and ...
providing water and electric service to the citizens of
Orlando, Florida
Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...
and portions of adjacent unincorporated areas of
Orange County, as well as
St. Cloud, Florida, in
Osceola County.
Established in 1923 by a special act of the
Florida Legislature,
OUC is the second largest municipal utility in Florida and 14th largest municipal in the country. OUC provides electric, water, chilled water and/or lighting services to more than 240,000 customers.
OUC owns and operates the Curtis H. Stanton Energy Center in east Orange County. The most diverse generating site in the state – natural gas, landfill methane gas, coal and solar are on the 3,280 acre property which can generate more than 1,800 megawatts of electricity. OUC also owns the Indian River Plant near
Cocoa, a 40 percent ownership of
Lakeland Electric’s McIntosh Unit 3 in
Lakeland, and a 6 percent stake of the
St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant near
Ft. Pierce. The company is governed by a five-member commission (including the
Mayor of Orlando), which is responsible for all operating policies.
OUC also owns and operates seven water plants and a distribution network of more than 1,700 miles of pipe. OUC's water is pumped from the Lower Floridan Aquifer and treated with ozone to reduce the need for other chemicals.
References
External links
Orlando Utilities Commission Official Website
Municipal electric utilities of the United States
Water companies of the United States
Companies based in Orlando, Florida
Public utilities of the United States
Public utilities established in 1923
1923 establishments in Florida
{{US-energy-company-stub