OUC's $5 to $15 DemandLevel charge is on its rates page as effective Nov. 1, 2026, with no state decision found

OUC's rates page now says "Electric rates are effective as of November 01, 2026" and lists the monthly DemandLevel charge. OUC's board adopted the rates on August 11, 2026, subject to review by the Florida Public Service Commission. OUC sent the tariffs to the commission's staff on July 8, 2026, "for your review". We found no record of the commission's decision.

What changed

• A new monthly charge based on your peak demand. Your tier is set by the highest power draw (in kilowatts) in any 15-minute window of the previous bill cycle.
• Orlando homes pay $5, $10 or $15 a month depending on the tier; Tier 1 (0 to 7.999 kW) is $5 in Orlando and $5.20 in St. Cloud.
• The non-fuel energy rate drops 12.5%. OUC calls it the consumption rate and says it is reducing it by 12.5% per kilowatt-hour. The fuel charge does not change.
• OUC's example home using 1,000 kWh: the non-fuel energy charge goes from $67.83 to $59.35, $8.48 less; the fuel charge stays at $47.67; an average DemandLevel charge of $8.33 is added; the bill goes from $134.00 to $133.85.
• OUC describes the change as revenue neutral for residential and small commercial customers.

When

• Adopted: August 11, 2026, by a unanimous vote of the OUC Commission.
• On the rates page: on our October 21 read it said "Electric rates are effective as of October 01, 2025". On November 4 it said "Electric rates are effective as of November 01, 2026".
• First bill: for most customers, the November 2026 bill, based on the peak in October. We have not seen a November bill.
• State review: OUC filed the tariffs with the Florida Public Service Commission on July 8, 2026. On September 29, OUC's rates page said the charges were "Pending approval by the Florida Public Service Commission." By October 21 that line was gone, and neither OUC page we read says whether the commission has approved them. We found no PSC order or staff letter on it, including on a new search on November 4.
• It was delayed once. The board's December 2024 vote had set DemandLevel to begin in March 2026.

Where

OUC electric customers in Orlando and St. Cloud.

What it means if you live here

• October already counts. The November charge is set by October's peak demand.
• Spreading out heavy loads keeps the peak lower. The tier depends on the single highest 15-minute window, not on your total use for the month.
• What it costs: $5 to $15 a month for Orlando homes, offset by the lower non-fuel energy rate; the fuel charge is unchanged. Whether a given household pays more or less depends on its peak and its usage; no source reviewed gives a per-household figure beyond OUC's 1,000 kWh example.
• The rates could still change if the Public Service Commission does not approve them as adopted.