OUC Recognized as a ‘Most Trusted Brand’ in National Customer Study

July 30, 2025

Utility ranks 3^rd among electric utilities nationally and 1^st in Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC—The Reliable One) has been recognized by Escalent, a leading advisory firm specializing in human behavior and data analytics, as a “Most Trusted Brand” among U.S. energy providers for 2025. With a score of 760, OUC ranked 7% above the industry average according to the 2025 Cogent Syndicated Utility Trusted Brand & Customer Engagement™ Residential study.

“We are honored to be recognized as a Most Trusted Brand among U.S. energy providers,” said Linda Ferrone, OUC Chief Customer & Marketing Officer. “At OUC, our customers have trusted us for 100 years and this recognition reflects the confidence they place in us and validates the work we do every day to deliver reliable, sustainable energy and exceptional service.”

OUC first appeared on the “Most Trusted Brand” index in 2018 and earned the top score among U.S. electric utilities in the 2020, 2022 and 2023 surveys.

“The utility value proposition continues to evolve,” said Suzanne Haggerty, Director of Syndicated Research with the Energy team at Escalent. “It’s not just about the bill amount. Value encompasses improved reliability, opportunities for savings, better customer service, ease of doing business, and the utility’s active role in supporting the community, delivering a broader sense of fairness and value that customers recognize and appreciate.”

This recognition comes on the heels of OUC being named the most reliable electric utility in Florida, based on 2024 data reported to the Florida Public Service Commission. That designation reflects OUC’s commitment to grid hardening, proactive infrastructure upgrades, and faster outage restoration — key drivers of both reliability and customer trust.

OUC also supports customers through a range of affordability programs and tools. These include rebates, energy-saving tips, and flexible payment options like Budget Billing and the prepaid Power Pass program. For customers facing financial hardship, Project CARE, administered by Heart of Florida United Way, offers utility payment assistance through a dedicated case manager.

In addition, OUC works with community partners to promote awareness of broader assistance programs such as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly Program (EHEAP), which helps eligible seniors cover energy costs during emergencies.

To learn more about how OUC connects with customers and the community, visit OUC.com/connected or explore assistance options at OUC.com/assistance.

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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 carbon emissions by 2050 while supporting the Central Florida community with conservation, sustainability and energy efficiency resources. Visit www.ouc.com to learn more.

About Escalent’s Utility Trusted Brand & Customer Engagement™: Residential study
Escalent conducted surveys among 61,086 residential electric, natural gas and combination utility customers of the 148 largest US utility companies (based on residential customer counts). The sample design uses a combination of quotas and weighting based on US census data to ensure a demographically balanced sample of each evaluated utility’s customers based on age, gender, income, race and ethnicity. Utilities within the same region and of the same type (e.g., electric-only providers) are given equal weight to balance the influence of each utility’s customers on survey results. The Brand Trust index score is a composite based upon consumer ratings across six factors. Learn more here.

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