WEATHER ALERT
Orlando city commissioner pushes back on OUC fee for solar customers
Read full article: Orlando city commissioner pushes back on OUC fee for solar customersOrlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan is leading the opposition against a proposal by the Orlando Utilities Commission to lower the reimbursement rates for solar customers.
Raise the thermostat, lower your electric bill, says Florida power companies
Read full article: Raise the thermostat, lower your electric bill, says Florida power companiesSoon some will see a lower light bill. The Orlando Utilities Commission approved a 5 percent cut to customers electric bills starting in July.
OUC to drill deeper into aquifer to meet growing demand for water
Read full article: OUC to drill deeper into aquifer to meet growing demand for waterThe Orlando Utilities Commission last week approved a $155 million project to ensure the region's growing population will have enough safe and clean drinking water for years to come.
‘Water everywhere:’ Pickup strikes hydrant, flooding Orlando home, intersection
Read full article: ‘Water everywhere:’ Pickup strikes hydrant, flooding Orlando home, intersectionA pickup truck struck a fire hydrant in Orlando, flooding a home and intersection and prompting officials to close roadways in the area.
Summer heat causing record-breaking energy usage, Orlando Utilities Commission says
Read full article: Summer heat causing record-breaking energy usage, Orlando Utilities Commission saysTemperatures are reaching all-time highs, but Central Florida residents are at risk for more than just heat-related illness.
OUC, Duke Energy Florida send help to Carolinas for winter storm
Read full article: OUC, Duke Energy Florida send help to Carolinas for winter stormThe nearing of a winter storm expected to slam the Carolinas over the weekend prompted Duke Energy Florida and the Orlando Utilities Commission to deploy crews Saturday morning to help impacted areas rebound, according to news releases.
OUC impostors threaten to cut power to Central Florida woman’s home
Read full article: OUC impostors threaten to cut power to Central Florida woman’s homeA Central Florida was called by whom she thought was an Orlando Utilities Commission representative threatening to shut off her power. The woman caught on, realizing the caller was an impostor trying to scam her.
Orlando announces campaign to move businesses to 100% solar energy by 2030
Read full article: Orlando announces campaign to move businesses to 100% solar energy by 2030The Orlando Utilities Commission and City of Orlando are announcing a campaign designed to transition businesses and municipalities to 100% solar energy by 2030.
Orlando residents’ drops made a difference, city scales back water restrictions
Read full article: Orlando residents’ drops made a difference, city scales back water restrictionsAfter nearly two months, the Orlando Utilities Commission is returning to normal water operations following its plea for Orlando customers to limit water use, read an OUC release Tuesday.
Echoing the call: OUC continues to ask residents to conserve water for oxygen shortage
Read full article: Echoing the call: OUC continues to ask residents to conserve water for oxygen shortageThe Orlando Utilities Commission is echoing a call they gave two weeks ago asking residents to conserve water due to a liquid oxygen shortage.
Winter Park joins Orlando, asking residents to conserve water due to COVID-related shortages
Read full article: Winter Park joins Orlando, asking residents to conserve water due to COVID-related shortagesThe city of Winter Park is asking residents to conserve water in hopes of avoiding having to issue a system-wide boil water notice as the region faces an increased demand for liquid oxygen due to COVID-19.
Be patient: After a storm, crews work to restore your power as soon as they can
Read full article: Be patient: After a storm, crews work to restore your power as soon as they canWhile there’s no way to guarantee you won’t lose power, experts say there are a few things you can do to help minimize your chances of an outage.
It’s electric: 100 new vehicle charging stations popping up throughout Orlando
Read full article: It’s electric: 100 new vehicle charging stations popping up throughout OrlandoThe City of Orlando in partnership with the Orlando Utilities Commission, along with American Cities Climate Change, installed 100 new EV stations throughout Orlando.
Tiny Green Home at Orlando Science Center offers hands-on experience
Read full article: Tiny Green Home at Orlando Science Center offers hands-on experienceORLANDO, Fla. – Things are beginning to look a little greener with the announcement of a “small” display outside the Orlando Science Center. The city of Orlando on Tuesday unveiled its Tiny Green Home, which is a hands-on experience designed to increase sustainability education and awareness in Central Florida. “What we’re ultimately doing is telling a bit of a sustainability story,” Vice President of Visitor Experience Brandan Lanman said. Throughout the experience, visitors can also scan QR codes to learn more about sustainability options in their own home. AdThe Tiny Green Home debuts to the public during Orlando Science Center’s Otronicon Event Feb. 12-15.
Here’s why residents welcome changes at Orlando’s Stanton Energy Plant
Read full article: Here’s why residents welcome changes at Orlando’s Stanton Energy PlantORLANDO, Fla. – Over the next five years, the iconic Stanton Energy Plant will be replacing the coal it now uses to generate electricity with natural gas. Trudell took News 6 inside the Stanton plant to show what this conversion would look like. Coal is stores in piles outside of the Stanton Energy Plant in Orange County. According to previous reports, eight other coal-burning plants in the state have either converted to natural gas, or they are in the middle of transitioning. He said the conversion to natural gas at Stanton has been a long time in coming.
Lawsuit claiming OUC power plant was contaminating homes dismissed
Read full article: Lawsuit claiming OUC power plant was contaminating homes dismissedORLANDO, Fla. – A lawsuit claiming contamination of residential properties from an Orlando Utilities Commission power plant has been dismissed, according to court records. The order to dismiss came at the request of attorneys representing the group of residents who filed the lawsuit. “From the outset, OUC has been confident that Plaintiffs’ claims were unsupported by any sound science and inconsistent with data reported by the Florida Department of Health. Plaintiffs’ request to dismiss this lawsuit with prejudice fully confirms that their claims had no merit.”[TRENDING: Safe to shop during pandemic? While the case has been dismissed, Bullock said attorneys with OUC are also working to vacate an earlier ruling they believe was incorrect.
How the Orlando Utilities Commission is trying to end coal-fired generation
Read full article: How the Orlando Utilities Commission is trying to end coal-fired generation“You really have to pair battery storage, we call it energy storage, with solar,” Ferrone explained. Ferrone said there is a lot of technology involved with solar energy and it continues to change. If you would like to know more about how OUC plans to achieve Net Zero CO2 Emissions by 2050, use the links below download this week’s episode of Florida’s Fourth Estate. Each week they have a guest host who helps give an irreverent look at the issues impacting the Sunshine State. Listen to the full episode of Florida’s Fourth Estate on iTunes here or on Sticher here.
Orange County Fire Rescue responds to hazmat incident at Stanton Energy Plant
Read full article: Orange County Fire Rescue responds to hazmat incident at Stanton Energy PlantORANGE COUNTY, Fla. Orange County Fire Rescue treated four patients in a hazmat incident at Stanton Energy Plant. The incident happened around 9:45 a.m. Wednesday, according to OCFR. Tim Trudell from Orlando Utilities Commission said an issue with sulfur dioxide as part of routine maintenance inside the plant. Three contract employees were taken to a hospital for treatment, according to Trudell. This is a developing story, check back for updates on Clickorlando.com.
UCF engineering students help OUC improve solar energy efficiency
Read full article: UCF engineering students help OUC improve solar energy efficiencyORLANDO, Fla. Plans continue for Orlando Utilities Commission to expand its solar energy production in the coming years. Tim OBrien plans to graduate from UCF this fall, after leading the second team of engineering students to help design and build skycam. Cloud coverage has a massive impact on solar farms, York said. Intermittent clouds are really the problem, when theyre passing in waves or bands, and that causes solar power to come up and down throughout the day. Right now, OUC solar farms account for enough power for around 20,000 homes.
APPLY: This program is helping seniors pay their energy bills during the COVID-19 pandemic
Read full article: APPLY: This program is helping seniors pay their energy bills during the COVID-19 pandemicORLANDO, Fla. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many seniors are spending more time at home than ever, which means theres a good chance their energy bills are -- you guessed it -- higher than ever. Eligible residents can receive up to $2,000 for multiple energy bills while funds are available. The applicant must also meet income requirements and be experiencing a home energy crisis, such as disconnection, delinquency or past-due bills. The SRA said the Orlando Utilities Commission, Duke Energy and Kissimmee Utility Authority have all agreed to partner to promote EHEAP to their customers. How to apply using your desktop computerHow to apply on your mobile device
OUC crews head to the gulf coast to assist in Hurricane Laura aftermath
Read full article: OUC crews head to the gulf coast to assist in Hurricane Laura aftermathORLANDO, Fla. A dozen linemen from the Orlando Utilities Commission are heading to Lafayette, Louisiana to help thousands who lost power on Thursday from Hurricane Laura. "The main thing is to get these people back to some sort of normalcy," Barnes said. Barnes said he's helped restore power after several hurricanes in Florida and this mission will be the first time for some of his colleagues. Crews are making a stop in Mississippi Thursday night before they arrive in Louisiana on Friday. Its not clear when they will be returning home, but OUC spokesperson believes it could take a couple of weeks.
OUC plans to resume disconnections in July
Read full article: OUC plans to resume disconnections in JulyService disconnections for non-payment resume July 13, 2020, and late fees will be reinstated August 3, OUC said. This includes financial support up to $500 through OUCs Project CARE. For more information on OUCs Project CARE click or tap here. OUC is asking neighbors to help neighbors by donating to Project CARE. Click on Project CARE and select the blue Enroll in Project CARE button, OUC said.