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FLORIDA
MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION HONORS OUC FOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH
OUC's Many Programs Earn Statewide Award for Community Leadership
ORLANDO -- OUC-The Reliable One recently earned the Florida
Municipal Electric Association's 2005 Community Service Award for enriching
Central Florida in the areas of education, the environment and charitable
support.
OUC received the award in FMEA's large utility category -- for public power
systems serving more than 50,000 customers -- at the Fall Energy Connections
Workshop and Trade Show. Based in Tallahassee, FMEA represents the unified
interests of 33 public power communities across the state that provide
electricity to more than 2 million of Florida's residential and business
consumers.
“Being a part of the community is about more than making sure the lights are
on,” FMEA Executive Director Barry Moline said. “OUC not only takes an interest
in seeing their community succeed, but actively works toward making it a better
place to live.”
Throughout 2005 OUC reached out to the community with more than 35 programs and
activities designed to enrich the lives of Central Floridians. This list
includes: employee volunteerism; charitable donations to local health and human
service agencies; matching customer contributions to OUC Project Care to assist
customers with difficulty paying monthly utility bills; and sponsoring UCF
athletic and educational events.
In the spring of 2005, OUC created 26-page English and Spanish hurricane guides
and coordinated 18 neighborhood hurricane preparedness meetings in partnership
with the cities of Orlando and St. Cloud. In September, OUC employees, retirees
and contract workers contributed more than $23,000 to the American Red Cross and
United Way Hurricane Katrina Relief Funds. With a dollar-for-dollar match from
OUC, the total relief contributions topped $46,000.
Also, OUC waived deposit requirements for 26 customers who relocated to its
service area following Hurricane Katrina.
As heat drove demand for power to record highs this summer, OUC aggressively
promoted a variety of conservation education opportunities and energy-efficiency
rebate programs to electric customers looking for ways to reduce consumption and
better control their monthly utility costs.
Established in 1923 by a special act of the Florida Legislature, OUC—The
Reliable One is the second largest municipal utility in Florida. OUC provides
electric and water services to more than 196,000 customers in Orlando, St. Cloud
and parts of unincorporated Orange and Osceola counties.
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