Ocala Electric Utility received two Florida Municipal Electric Association awards in 2026. AI-generated illustration.
Ocala Electric Utility's City Path Job Program and Outreach Win Two Statewide Public Power Awards
This is a government news article published on 2026-11-05 covering local Marion County, Florida news. Ocala Electric Utility, the city-owned power company, received two statewide awards from the Florida Municipal Electric Association at its Energy Connections conference in Tampa: the Building Strong Communities Award, for the City Path workforce program and environmental outreach, and the FMEA Communications Award.
Ocala's city-owned power company is getting statewide notice for something other than keeping the lights on. Ocala Electric Utility (OEU) received two awards from the Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA), the trade group for the state's public power utilities, the City of Ocala announced on Nov. 3, 2026. The awards were presented at FMEA's Energy Connections Conference & Trade Show in Tampa.
AI-generated illustration. Not a photo of Ocala Electric Utility crews.
City Path: a route into utility work
The bigger of the two honors, the Building Strong Communities Award, went to OEU for its City Path workforce development program and its environmental outreach. FMEA gives the award to public power utilities for community programs that improve residents' quality of life, according to the city.
The city describes City Path as a program that gives emerging adults interested in the electric utility industry a career pathway, preparing participants for future jobs. OEU's environmental outreach, the city says, teaches residents about sustainability and electric reliability. The release does not give enrollment details for City Path; the city lists OEU's number as 352-629-2489 for more information.
A second award for telling the story
OEU also received the FMEA Communications Award for public engagement and storytelling. The city credits digital communications, social media and community outreach with raising awareness of the utility's programs and of what it calls the benefits of a locally owned electric utility.
Not every Ocala-area address is on OEU's lines; depending on location, homes may be served by Duke Energy, SECO Energy or Clay Electric Cooperative instead, as our cost of living guide notes. People looking at local careers can find more openings and hiring events on our Ocala jobs page.
Source: City of Ocala news release, "Ocala Electric Utility Receives Two Statewide Awards for Community Engagement and Communications," Nov. 3, 2026. Checked Nov. 5, 2026.
Related Ocala Guides
More context and planning resources from Only In Ocala.