ORLANDO, Fla. – OUC, also known as The Reliable One, is set to propose a comprehensive multi-year plan aimed at empowering customers with more choices and new opportunities to save money. This initiative will align costs more equitably with electricity usage and optimize OUC’s reliable, affordable, and sustainable power grid. Pending OUC board approval, this program is designed to modernize OUC’s electric pricing structures, addressing the changing dynamics of power demand and advancing customer-driven technologies.

"Rapid population growth, increasing power demand, and evolving customer preferences are prompting utilities nationwide to implement similar pricing changes," said Clint Bullock, OUC General Manager & CEO. "OUC must evolve to meet customer demand while implementing cost equity, preserving system reliability, and achieving our CO2 reduction goals. We aim to deliver price signals that provide cost-saving opportunities for our customers."

Path to Net Zero Emissions

In 2020, OUC announced plans to achieve net zero CO2 emissions by 2050, with interim reductions of 50% by 2030 and 75% by 2040. These pricing structure changes promote efficient use of the grid while leveraging advanced digital technologies and effective price signals that deliver community-wide value.

Key Steps in the Modernization Plan

Step One: Reducing Variable Costs

The first phase introduces a new distribution charge for residential and small commercial customers, structured in three tiers ($5, $10, or $15 per month) based on each customer’s peak demand. This charge ensures customers pay their equitable share for infrastructure. OUC anticipates that 90% of residential customers will experience a change ranging from a $5 increase to a $15 decrease in their monthly bill.

Starting in 2025, the new TruNet Solar pricing structure will compensate rooftop solar customers for excess electricity they produce and sell back to OUC. This program aims to balance the value of energy delivered to the grid by solar customers and reduce current incentives gradually over seven years, allowing ample time for adjustment.

Additionally, OUC will relaunch its energy storage rebate program to encourage battery installation, optimizing electricity produced by rooftop solar arrays. A new community solar program, SunChoice, will also be introduced, offering customers the opportunity to support clean, affordable power for the entire community.

Step Two: Introducing Shift & Save

In 2026, OUC plans to implement the Shift & Save pricing structure for all customers. This program will offer price signals encouraging customers to shift their energy use to "off-peak" periods, away from peak demand hours, providing opportunities to save money. Peak demand represents the time of day when consumer demand for electricity is at its highest.

A pilot program supporting Shift & Save found that 98% of participants were satisfied or very satisfied with a time-based pricing structure. "Currently, electric customers can reduce their bills by conserving electricity and utilizing OUC’s rebate programs. With time-of-day rates, customers will also be able to lower their bills by using electricity during off-peak periods," said Bullock. "Providing options to save money is core to OUC, and we’re proud to offer a plan that balances affordable prices, reliable services, and a sustainable community."

Community Engagement and Feedback

OUC will host a Public Workshop to discuss these pricing changes at 2 p.m., Thursday, June 13, 2024, at Reliable Plaza, 100 W Anderson St, Orlando, FL. In the coming weeks and months, OUC will engage with community groups to receive feedback and gather ideas for program implementation. An informational website will also be launched soon.

By adopting these modernized pricing structures, OUC is taking significant steps towards empowering customers, promoting cost equity, and achieving a sustainable, reliable, and affordable energy future.