Being good stewards of the environment means we care for the land, air, water, and wildlife in the community we serve. Kissimmee Utility Authority protects these resources while meeting our customers’ demand for electric service. Below are some of the ways we carry out this responsibility.
Waste reduction and recycling
For KUA, landfills are a last resort. In our utility operations, we recycle used tires, oil and batteries from our fleet vehicles. We also recycle PCB-free oils along with scrap metals such as wire and old transformers. In our offices, we recycle everyday items like paper, cardboard, bottles and cans.
Electricity generation
Our Cane Island Power Park uses natural gas as its primary fuel source. This is a cleaner-burning fuel that reduces the impact on the air we breathe. In addition, our new community solar program will provide access to locally-generated solar energy for our customers – just one example of how Kissimmee is leading in the field of clean and renewable energy
Keeping birds safe
Keeping birds out of our electrical equipment and preventing the outages that sometimes result is an ongoing effort. At our power plant, for example, we maintain bird diverters on our high-voltage transmission lines. The lines are located near a heron rookery and the bird diverters generate a vibrating noise which provides an audible warning to the birds to prevent their collision with the lines.
Wildlife protection
KUA maintains wildlife covers on assorted equipment, inside substations and on overhead feeders to protect our electrical grid from incidental contact by wildlife. These ongoing enhancements are expected to reduce wildlife related outages by more than 50% and protect the wildlife that makes their home in this area of Central Florida.
Water resources
Water is a vital part of KUA’s power plant operations. Our plant uses sewage effluent (treated wastewater) instead of groundwater for cooling purposes, saving more than 800 million gallons of freshwater each year. This helps relieve strains on our state’s diminishing freshwater supply.
Energy efficiency
Saving energy conserves resources, reduces emissions and keeps costs low. To help our customers save, we offer programs and rebate incentives for energy efficiency upgrades. We also offer free home energy audits to help reduce electric bills and improve the energy efficiency of residences and businesses year round.
Clean transportation
Some of our community’s most frequented facilities and destinations have gained electric vehicle charging stations, thanks to KUA’s growing inventory of vehicle chargers. Plug-in electric vehicles can help increase energy security, improve fuel economy, lower fuel costs, and reduce emissions.
