Español

ORLANDO, Fla. – For the fourth consecutive year, OUC has earned a ‘B’ from the Sierra Club for its commitment to balancing sustainability with reliability, affordability, and resiliency.

The utility gained eight points in this year’s annual report, jumping to 69 out of 100. Since 2021, the Sierra Club has analyzed the plans of 75 utilities in the U.S. and grades them on how they’re reducing CO2 emissions while developing clean energy alternatives.

"Being recognized by the Sierra Club alongside some of the nation's largest utilities highlights OUC’s commitment to resilient, sustainable energy solutions," said Linda Ferrone, OUC Chief Customer & Marketing Officer. "From expanded solar farms to innovative floating solar arrays and investments in energy storage, we’re building a forward-thinking energy future for our community and generations to come."

Some of the projects recently completed or underway include:

• Two new utility-scale solar farms: Storey Bend and Harmony II
  Storey Bend and Harmony II solar farms will each have 300,000 panels and generate a combined capacity of 149MW. OUC’s new solar farms are scheduled to be online in diciembre 2024.
• A mega floating solar array in development
  OUC’s largest floating solar array – and the largest in the Southeast U.S. – will soon be deployed on a Department of Transportation retention pond in Southeast Orlando. The 2MW system will be OUC’s third floating solar project, featuring more than 3,700 panels to send electricity back into the grid.
• Capturing and storing solar energy
  The $5 million pilot installation of the Battery Energy Storage System represents a critical step toward tackling solar intermittency challenges. By using a fully functional 4MW/8MWh large-scale battery, OUC will be able to store excess solar energy to provide power during periods of low or no solar generation – such as during a storm, on a cloudy day, and at night.
• Leveraging “bridge technology” to back up solar power
  The Osceola Generation Station (OGS) will also allow OUC to mitigate fluctuations in solar energy production. The 510MW single-cycle natural gas-fired power plant is comprised of three separate turbines, which can be powered up or down in minutes.
• Expanding access to EV chargers
  In septiembre 2024, OUC opened its newest high-speed electric vehicle (EV) charging hub near the Orange County Convention Center. Open to the public 24/7, the hub features six DC fast charging ports. OUC’s first charging hub, the Robinson ReCharge Mobility Hub in downtown Orlando, is the largest of its kind in Florida, and includes six 240-kilowatt (kW) and 15 120kW Level 3-rated charging ports capable of recharging all makes and models of EVs.

For more information about these projects and others, visit www.ouc.com.

###

Acerca de OUC—The Reliable One
In junio 2023, OUC—The Reliable One celebrated 100 years of providing 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 its goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 while supporting its community with conservation, sustainability and energy efficiency resources. Visite www.ouc.com to learn more.