New OUC pricing starts in November. Here’s how DemandLevel could change your bill

Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) customers are beginning to see a new electricity pricing structure this month, with a lower rate for energy used and a separate monthly charge tied to peak demand.

OUC has been e-mailing customers personalized videos explaining how the change, called DemandLevel, could affect their bills. The videos use customers’ past energy use to estimate whether their bills may rise, fall or stay about the same. OUC hosted a series of in-person community education sessions and town halls in October 2026 so customers could get answers.

“I don’t understand how they’re going to do it, so that’s what I want to find out,” OUC customer Sally Hunter told News 6 outside a recent OUC session at the Engelwood Neighborhood Center. “I just want to see the presentation in person, to be able to ask questions as they come up, because looking at the video it wasn’t really clear and when I look at my bill I can’t figure out what they’re talking about.”

What’s changing?

The price per kilowatt-hour will decrease by 12.5%, or about 1 cent, according to OUC. The new plan also adds a monthly demand charge of $5, $10 or $15. The demand charge will depend on a customer’s highest 15-minute period of electricity use during the previous month.

That peak can be affected by running several power-hungry appliances at once. OUC advises customers to stagger appliance use. For example, waiting for one appliance to finish before starting another to help keep their demand charge lower.

Carol Latham, another OUC customer, said she is looking for ways to save money and has already shifted some electricity use.

“For instance, the pool. I’m running the pool at night now instead of during the day when we’re up and active,” said Latham. “That’s where my highest peak is when I’m running the pool, so that was news to me.”

Why the change?

“The change is coming about because we want to help customers relate the way they use the grid to pricing signals,” said Jenise Osani, OUC Vice President of Customer Experience and Sales. “So, to keep costs low for OUC to run and operate the grid, we want to have customers push out their usage and spread it across the day.”

OUC estimates about 50% of customers will see their bills decrease, about 30% will see little change, and the remaining customers could pay up to about $7 more per month. Osani said the change is revenue-neutral for OUC: It changes how customers are charged, not the total amount the utility collects.

Customers can review their past and estimated demand through the My Usage dashboard at MyOUC.com or the My OUC Energy Coach tool. OUC encourages customers to log in to their account and review their usage dashboard.

OUC said it may hold more education sessions after DemandLevel rolls out. The utility said it will likely review questions and calls to customer service before deciding what additional town hall meetings may be needed.

More savings for customers?

At the OUC Board of Commissioners’ Meeting on December 15, OUC tells News 6 it will propose a fuel rate decrease that could save customers about $5 a month, resulting in approximately $3.3 million in monthly savings for all OUC electric customers.

If approved, the rate would take effect in April 2027, OUC says. A typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours a month would pay about $128.85, $7.62 less than the average at OUC’s Florida peer utilities. They say commercial savings would vary by energy use.

“At a time when families are paying more for just about everything, we know every dollar matters,” said Clint Bullock, OUC General Manager & CEO. “It’s why we’re focused on keeping our customers’ bills affordable even though electricity costs continue to rise across the country. This proposed decrease reflects our commitment to managing costs responsibly, passing savings along to our customers and delivering the reliable service they count on.”

OUC tells News 6 they have a variety of tools and programs designed to help customers manage their bills and reduce energy use, including rebates, payment-management options, and efficiency programs.

To explore assistance resources, visit www.OUC.com/assistance, and for tips and programs to help reduce energy and water usage, visit www.OUC.com/waystosave.