OUC Breaks Ground on St. Cloud Operations & Maintenance Center
From Relay, Florida’s Energy & Electric Utility MagazineGo to https://www.flpublicpower.com/relay-magazine – Summer 2022
“Recently, representatives with OUC – The Reliable One and the City of St. Cloud led the groundbreaking ceremony for OUC’s state-of-the-art St. Cloud Operations & Maintenance Center, the “first net-zero campus for a Florida utility. The 24-acre campus will reach net-zero emissions through conservation and efficiency practices and its use of renewable energy. The project aligns with OUC’s and the City of St. Cloud’s commitment to sustainability and renewable energy.
Construction includes building a 55,000-square-foot warehouse and a 22,000-square-foot fleet maintenance facility with service bays, parts stores, electric vehicle (EV) fleet charging and fueling stations, and a vehicle wash area. When completed in December 2023, about 54 OUC employees will call the campus home. Future phases are expected to include an administrative facility and a substation.
The project includes several sustainable features, including rooftop solar panels, floating solar, high-efficiency water “fixtures, rainwater harvesting tanks, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, walking and biking trails, and EV charging stations. Human-focused design strategies were added to promote well-being, safety and encourage healthy choices. Buildings on campus were designed to meet the stringent requirements of LEED®, Fitwel and WELL Health Safety Standard.
The project marks a milestone in OUC’s partnership with St. Cloud. In May 1997, the two entered a long-term agreement for OUC to operate and maintain the city’s electric system.”