OUC Urges Customers to Conserve Energy During Early Morning Peak Hours

Click here to see a Spanish version of the infographic.

ORLANDO, Fla. – With Central Florida experiencing record-breaking cold, OUC – The Reliable One urged its customers to conserve energy during the early-morning peak hours today. Another spike is expected early Monday, between 4 to 10 a.m., and even small, targeted conservation during these hours can help ease strain on the grid and support continued reliability.

To help customers make the most meaningful impact, OUC is sharing practical actions that can reduce energy use during these peak periods. When done collectively by our community, these steps can help keep the system reliable for everyone.

Residential Energy-Saving Tips

OUC encourages residential customers to take the following steps between 4 a.m. and 10 a.m.:

• Choose a comfortable thermostat setting and lower it slightly: Warming a home in cold weather requires far more energy than cooling, and even a two-degree reduction can make a difference.
• Set it and leave it: Frequent thermostat changes force heating systems to work harder and increase energy demand.
• Use heat pumps efficiently: If your home has a heat pump, keep it in normal mode. Emergency heat uses significantly more electricity.
• Delay major appliance use: Wait until later in the day to run washers, dryers and dishwashers.
• Take shorter showers: Water heaters use substantial energy to heat and reheat water.
• Avoid morning EV charging: Unplug your car and wait until later in the day to charge.

Commercial Energy-Saving Tips

OUC asks business customers to consider the following conservation measures during peak morning hours:

• Pre-warm buildings before peak demand: Heat spaces overnight or very early in the morning – before 4 a.m. – and reduce heating later in the morning when possible.
• Delay non-essential equipment start-ups: Stagger the startup of large HVAC systems, industrial equipment, kitchen appliances, compressors, pumps or motors by 15 to 30 minutes.
• Adjust thermostats modestly: Lower settings by 2 to 3 degrees during peak hours.
• Use heating zones efficiently: Prioritize occupied or customer-facing areas and reduce heating in storage spaces, unused offices, conference rooms or loading areas.
• Shift energy-intensive activities: Move tasks such as laundry, dishwashing or production runs to late morning or afternoon.
• Consider flexible work options: Allow later start times or remote work, if feasible.

Cold weather safety tips and additional resources are available at OUC’s Cold Weather Guide.

###

About OUC—The Reliable One
For more than 100 years, OUC—The Reliable One has provided exceptional value to its customers and community through the delivery of sustainable and reliable services and solutions. The utility provides electric, water, chilled water, lighting and solar services to more than 400,000 accounts in Orlando, St. Cloud and parts of unincorporated Orange and Osceola counties. As OUC prepares for the next century, it remains committed to a goal of achieving net zero CO2 emissions by 2050 while supporting the Central Florida community with conservation, sustainability and energy efficiency resources. Visit www.ouc.com to learn more.