Orlando OUC Bill Help 2026–27: Project CARE, LIHEAP, Payment Plans, and Power Pass
If you're an OUC customer in Orlando or St. Cloud and your bill is past due, there are several kinds of help. They work very differently. Project CARE pays part of an overdue balance once a year. LIHEAP is federal energy money run by your county. Payment arrangements buy time. Budget Billing and Power Pass change how you pay going forward. Picking the wrong one first can cost you weeks.
This guide is organized by your situation. Find the line that sounds like you and start there.
Last checked October 2026. Facts come from OUC's assistance, billing, and Power Pass pages and its 2026 tariff book, Heart of Florida United Way, and Orange County's Energy Bill Assistance (LIHEAP) program. Funding and rules change. Confirm before you apply. This is general information, not financial or legal advice.
Quick Match: Which Help Fits You?
Past-due bill, temporary hardship: Project CARE (Heart of Florida United Way) plus an OUC payment arrangement.
Disconnection notice, low income, Orange County: Orange County LIHEAP crisis help.
Senior (60+) with an energy crisis: EHEAP.
Bills swing high every summer: Budget Billing (only once you're caught up).
Can't afford a deposit to start service: OUC Power Pass.
Someone at home uses life-sustaining equipment: OUC Medical Alert Program.
OUC's customer service number is (407) 423-9018. OUC's assistance hub is at ouc.com/assistance.
"I'm Behind and Need Money Toward the Bill": Project CARE
Project CARE is OUC's bill-payment assistance fund. OUC says it has run since 1994 and is administered by Heart of Florida United Way (HFUW). It's funded by contributions from OUC employees and customers. OUC adds $2 for every $1 customers donate.
What it pays: OUC says Project CARE offers one-time help of up to $500 per household in a 12-month period.
Who qualifies, per HFUW:
You're a residential OUC customer in Orange or Osceola County.
You're the main account holder or an authorized user.
You have a past-due balance with OUC.
The account is active.
The account has no history of tampering or theft of services.
What HFUW says it can't pay:
current (not yet overdue) bills;
deposits, including deposits to set up a new account;
Power Pass accounts, unless you have a debt recovery balance.
What you'll need to apply:
your name and contact information;
your OUC account number;
the last 4 digits of your Social Security number, if you have one;
the reason you're applying, such as job loss, fewer hours, a medical bill, car repair, a gap in benefits, a change in household, or another unexpected expense.
How to apply: Apply online through Heart of Florida United Way. You'll create an account and submit an application. Or call 2-1-1. HFUW notes that help depends on available funds. During high demand it has accepted only a limited number of applications each week. If the portal is closed, check back early in the week. Meanwhile, ask OUC for a payment arrangement so the account doesn't get shut off while you wait.
"I Need More Time": Payment Arrangements
OUC says it may be able to offer payment arrangements or payment plans to customers having trouble paying. Call (407) 423-9018.
Before you call, have ready:
the past-due amount and the date on any disconnection notice;
what you can pay today, even if it's small;
when your next paycheck or benefit comes in;
whether you've applied to Project CARE or LIHEAP. If you have, ask whether OUC can note the account while the application is pending.
Tip: Write down the date, the representative's name, and the exact terms. Missing an arrangement can matter later. OUC says, for example, that even Medical Alert customers aren't protected from disconnection if they don't keep payment arrangements.
"I'm Low-Income and Facing a Shutoff": Orange County LIHEAP
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is federally funded. In Orange County, it's run by Orange County Community Action in the Families, Health & Social Services department. For Osceola County, OUC refers customers to the Osceola Council on Aging.
What Orange County lists:
Who can apply: legal residents of Orange County who meet the income limit. Check the county's current income guideline chart before you apply.
How to apply: through the county's online LIHEAP portal at ocfl.net/LIHEAP, when funding is available. The application is in English, Spanish, and Creole. The same portal lets you check your status and upload documents.
Phone: LIHEAP line (407) 836-7429.
Upload everything when you apply. The county says incomplete applications or missing documents could result in a denial.
Orange County's document list:
photo ID for the applicant (the 2026 flyer asks for ID for all household members, or birth certificates for anyone without photo ID);
birth certificates or other proof of U.S. citizenship or eligible noncitizen status;
your current utility bill. If it's not in your name, include your current lease;
proof of income for all household members, such as award letters (Social Security, SSI, SSDI, VA, TANF), pay stubs for the last 30 days, or a signed self-declaration if you have no income;
utility allowance information if you're in Section 8 or public housing.
Benefit limits: The county's 2026 flyer says Home Energy benefits are one per rolling year. Benefits range from $200 to $700. If you got a regular home energy benefit within the past 12 months, the county says you may only qualify for crisis help. For that, you need a disconnection or past-due notice, or, for Power Pass customers, fewer than 7 days of service left.
No-application LIHEAP credits: OUC has said it partners with a company called Promise to contact customers who may qualify for LIHEAP. OUC says customers don't apply for this. If you're contacted and accept, the approved LIHEAP funds go on your electric bill as a credit. OUC says this help doesn't cover water or sewer. If someone contacts you claiming to be from OUC, check by calling OUC at the number on your bill before you share any information.
"I'm 60 or Older": EHEAP
The Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly Program (EHEAP) helps older adults with energy emergencies. OUC says Orange and Osceola residents can call (407) 846-8532, or the Elder Helpline at 1-800-96-ELDER (35337).
"My Bills Are Unpredictable": Budget Billing
Budget Billing doesn't lower what you owe. It spreads it out evenly. OUC says it's free.
How OUC calculates it: Your payment is the average of your last 12 months of bills. That includes electric and/or water, solid waste, wastewater, and taxes. OUC adds an extra percentage to keep the deferred balance from growing. Your actual use is still measured each month. After 12 months, OUC reconciles what you paid against what you used and sets a new amount. If your use differs from the budget by more than 20%, OUC may recalculate early.
Who can't join, per OUC:
customers who've been active less than 6 months;
Power Pass customers;
anyone with a past-due balance. You must pay it first.
Watch out, per OUC's tariff: If you're removed for falling behind, or you quit the program, you can't re-enroll for 12 months. A returned check can also get you removed.
When it makes sense: After Project CARE or LIHEAP brings your balance current, Budget Billing can help prevent the next summer spike.
"I Can't Afford a Deposit": OUC Power Pass
Power Pass is OUC's prepaid option. OUC says it has no security deposit, no late fees, and no reconnection fees.
How it works:
You add money to your account. OUC deducts your usage every day.
Service continues as long as your balance stays above $0.00.
You get text, email, or phone alerts and can check your balance online 24/7.
OUC says your first payment is $75. A $25 service initiation fee comes out of that, leaving a $50 starting balance.
Things to know:
Power Pass accounts can't use Budget Billing.
HFUW says Project CARE can't help Power Pass customers unless there's a debt recovery balance.
With prepay, a zero balance means service can stop without the usual monthly billing cycle. Set up low-balance alerts.
"Someone at Home Depends on Medical Equipment": Medical Alert Program
OUC's Medical Alert Program is for customers whose life-sustaining equipment runs on electricity, such as oxygen concentrators, heart monitors, feeding pumps, or in-home dialysis.
What it provides, per OUC:
advance notice of planned outages for maintenance;
special consideration for payment arrangements;
information on energy efficiency and social service agencies.
How to enroll:
Ask your physician to complete OUC's validation form. It covers the medical condition, the equipment, and how long it's needed. The doctor mails it to OUC.
Once it's approved, OUC says you're in the program within 48 hours. A gray seal is placed on your meter.
Recertify every 12 months, no later than 30 days before the current form expires.
Limits: OUC says the program doesn't stop disconnection if you don't pay or don't keep arrangements. It also can't warn you before unplanned outages. Have a backup power plan. Also sign up for your county's Special Needs Registry: Orange County (407) 836-9319; Osceola County Emergency Management (407) 742-9000.
Common Mistakes
Applying to Project CARE for a bill that isn't overdue yet. HFUW only pays past-due amounts.
Uploading half the LIHEAP documents. Orange County says incomplete applications can be denied.
Trying to join Budget Billing while behind. You have to be current first.
Signing up for Power Pass, then needing Project CARE. HFUW generally can't help Power Pass accounts.
Ignoring a call from Promise. It may be real LIHEAP help, but confirm with OUC first.
FAQ
How much does Project CARE pay? Up to $500 per household, once in a 12-month period, toward past-due OUC bills only.
What's OUC's phone number? (407) 423-9018.
Does Orange County LIHEAP cover water bills? LIHEAP is home energy assistance. OUC says its Promise LIHEAP credits apply to electric only, not water or sewer.
Can I get Budget Billing if I'm behind? No. OUC requires you to pay any past-due balance first.
Does Power Pass need a deposit? No. OUC says there's no deposit. The first $75 payment includes a $25 initiation fee.
I live in Osceola County. Where do I apply for LIHEAP? OUC refers Osceola residents to the Osceola Council on Aging.
Related Guides
Sources
OUC, Financial & Medical Assistance: https://www.ouc.com/customer-service/residential-assistance/
OUC, Budget Billing: https://www.ouc.com/solutions-programs/billing/budget-billing/
OUC, Power Pass: https://www.ouc.com/solutions-programs/billing/ouc-power-pass/
OUC Tariff Book (effective Jan. 1, 2026): https://www.ouc.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/OUC-and-St.-Cloud-Tariff-Book-Effective-January-1-2026.pdf
OUC, Promise/LIHEAP news release: https://www.ouc.com/about/news/ouc-helps-nearly-11000-households-connect-to-11-7-million-in-assistance/
Heart of Florida United Way, Financial Assistance: https://www.hfuw.org/get-help/financial-assistance/
Orange County, Energy Bill Assistance: https://ocfl.net/CommunityFamilyServices/EnergyBillAssistance.aspx
Orange County LIHEAP 2026 flyer: https://www.ocfl.net/Portals/0/Library/Families-Health-Social%20Svcs/docs/LIHEAP%202026%20FLYER%20ENG%2003122026.pdf
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