ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer honored OUC’s century of devoted service to the city of Orlando by declaring June 26 as “OUC 100th Anniversary Day.”
OUC’s roots trace back to a group of companies “that provided electricity to illuminate downtown streetlights and delivered water and ice to the community,” according to a news release. OUC was founded back in 1923 as a municipal utility commission with a “mission to provide reliable and affordable electric and water services” to the city of Orlando. Its first meeting was conducted on June 25, 1923, in the First National Bank in Orlando.
Recommended Videos
[TRENDING: Become a News 6 Insider]
OUC initially served just a mere 2,795 customers and has expanded to more than a quarter million today — making it the 14th largest municipal unity in the nation and second largest in the state, according to the company.
“Since the day OUC was founded, we have innovated and evolved to meet the needs of our customers and our community, and we will never stray from our commitment to exceed our customers’ expectations,” Clint Bullock, general manager and CEO of OUC, said in a release.
Throughout its century of service, OUC has achieved many milestones dedicated to Orlando:
- In 1957, OUC presented Orlando with the Lake Eola fountain. The landmark was originally known as the Centennial Fountain and later renamed the Linton E. Allen Memorial Fountain in honor of the president of First National Bank (now Truist) and community leader.
- In 1993, OUC tested an electric vehicle (EV) outfitted with solar panels on its roof. The trial marked OUC’s early interest in EVs, which are now included in its fleet.
- In 2021, OUC was named the nation’s highest-ranked midsize water utility in J.D. Power’s annual water utility residential customer satisfaction study.
- In 2022, OUC broke ground on the first net-zero corporate campus to be built for a Florida utility. Phase 1 construction is set to be completed in December 2023.
- In 2023, OUC opens one of the largest electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in Florida. Located in downtown Orlando, the Robinson Recharge Mobility Hub features 20 high-speed chargers. OUC also secured a grant to develop a second site for high-speed EV charging in Orlando. These EV charging hubs are part of OUC’s $45 million investment to promote transportation electrification.
“I am proud of our partnership with OUC to make The City Beautiful one of the most sustainable cities in the country and improve the quality of life of our residents,” Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said in a release.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: