The Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) has once again been recognized for doing more than keeping the lights on. For the tenth straight year, the Florida Municipal Electric Association has honored OUC—The Reliable One—with its “Building Strong Communities” award, celebrating a decade of hands-on involvement and lasting contributions across Central Florida.
The statewide honor, announced October 28 at FMEA’s Energy Connections Conference in Jacksonville, highlights public utilities that go beyond energy service to make measurable differences in their communities. OUC’s recognition this year was powered by its continued work in education, youth development, and neighborhood enrichment programs that reach thousands of Central Floridians annually.
Educating Future Leaders
OUC’s community outreach begins early—with students. More than 40,000 Central Florida children have taken part in the utility’s Water Color Project and Watts Savings Project, programs that blend environmental education with art and science. The Water Color Project invites 4th–12th graders to design water conservation-themed artwork, while the Watts Savings Project teaches 4th and 5th graders about energy efficiency and sustainability. In 2025, their creations were featured on public calendars and decorative rain barrels, connecting creativity with conservation in a very visible way.
The utility also continues to invest in the next generation of energy professionals. This past summer, OUC hosted its 14th annual Youth Energy Academy, introducing 60 middle and high school students to careers in the utility and renewable energy fields. Sponsored by the Florida Chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy, the program has now engaged nearly 840 students since its inception.
Building Community, One Book at a Time
OUC’s efforts extend beyond classrooms and power lines. In partnership with Lift Orlando, the company opened a new Little Free Library this June at the Heart of West Lakes Wellness Center, inviting residents to “take a book, leave a book.” The library is part of a growing literacy initiative that has seen OUC open 11 neighborhood libraries and donate over 4,000 books since 2021.
OUC is one of 20 municipal utilities across Florida to earn the 2025 Building Strong Communities award—and one of only a few to win it every single year since the program began in 2015.
Florida’s 33 public power utilities, which include OUC and others serving more than three million residents, are collectively the state’s third-largest electricity provider and a major economic force with more than 5,700 employees statewide.
Founded more than a century ago, OUC serves more than 400,000 customers in Orlando, St. Cloud, and surrounding parts of Orange and Osceola counties. The utility continues to expand its focus on sustainability, energy efficiency, and environmental stewardship—aiming to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Whether through education, conservation, or community service, OUC’s message remains consistent: reliable power is only part of what it delivers to Central Florida.
