The Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) has reported that nearly 11,000 households have received a total of $11.7 million in funding to help pay their home energy bills. This effort comes through a partnership between OUC and the technology company Promise, which began in April.
Through this initiative, OUC worked with Promise to identify customers eligible for support under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a state-administered program in Florida. LIHEAP is designed to help low-income households cover their energy costs.
“At OUC, we actively look for ways to support customers facing financial challenges – whether it’s through the Promise initiative, OUC’s utility payment assistance program, Project CARE, or payment arrangements,” said Jenise Osani, OUC Vice President of Customer Experience & Sales. “This partnership is the latest effort in our century-long mission of providing customers with affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity.”
Eligible OUC customers are contacted directly about the available assistance based on income levels and can choose to opt out if they do not wish to participate. Those who accept receive approved LIHEAP funds as a credit on their electric bill. The credits apply only toward electricity charges and do not include other utilities such as water or sewer.
OUC provides additional options for those seeking further help with utility payments. Information about budget billing or payment plans can be found at https://www.ouc.com/assistance.
OUC serves more than 400,000 accounts across Orlando, St. Cloud, and parts of Orange and Osceola counties. The organization offers services including electric, water, chilled water, lighting, and solar solutions while aiming for net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
