Hurricane Helene brough unprecedented storm surge to our area. We urge you stay safe and vigilant around electricity and floodwaters. Your safety is our priority, which is why we put together a comprehensive list of safety tips and resources on our Storm Center to help.
IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ!
- Emergency officials are warning residents that the storm surge – typically the leading cause of deaths in a hurricane – is extremely dangerous and remains an issue in our area.
- If leaving your property for an extended period or if flooding is imminent, flip each breaker off and then turn off the main breaker to help mitigate possible damage and to improve restoration time.
- Water and electricity are a dangerous combination. If water has already entered your home, while not ideal, it is best to get out and leave the breaker alone.
- Do not enter or drive through floodwaters. They can hide downed power lines which could still be live and deadly, and water is a great conductor of electricity. It can also contain toxic chemicals and wild animals, such as snakes or rodents.
- Never replace a fuse or touch a circuit breaker with wet hands, or while standing on wet or damp ground.
- If your home or business is flooded, we cannot reconnect power until the electrical system has been inspected by a licensed electrician. If there is damage, they will make the necessary repairs and obtain verification from your local building inspection authority before power is restored.
- Do not touch damaged electrical equipment. Visit TampaElectric.com/PowerRestoration then click on Damaged Meter Equipment to learn which equipment relies on Tampa Electric for repairs and when to call a licensed electrician.
- We also urge patience during this restoration process, as safety is paramount. Flooding is making access to our service area very difficult. We must be measured and methodical in our approach for the safety of our crews and the community. Please note that even if your home is not flooded, flooding could be preventing us from reaching your area to do repairs.
In addition:
- Always assume that downed power lines are energized. If you encounter a downed line, stay away and call 911, then call us immediately at 877-588-1010.
- Never drive over downed power lines or touch power lines, including anyone or anything touching the line. This includes a fence or other object the line may fall onto. Warn others to stay away.
- Stay out of floodwaters. Always avoid driving or walking through flood waters – they may be energized with electrical current and create hazardous conditions.
- Remember to use portable generators safely.
- DO NOT connect a portable generator to home circuits and be sure to plug appliances directly into the generator. Connecting a generator to home circuits may cause power to flow to outside lines, posing life-threatening danger to our lineworkers. If you are unsure, please consult with a licensed electrician.
- Never allow a portable generator to get wet or operate in or near the rain. Generators are designed to produce powerful voltage and if moisture enters it, an electrocution or explosion may result.
- DO NOT take portable generators into a residence or any enclosed space (including closed garages) where deadly carbon monoxide gases could build up.
- Be cautious when outside as tree limbs may have become loose and could fall without warning.
- Beware of gas leaks. The odor of rotten eggs is an indicator that a natural gas line might be damaged. If you smell gas, immediately move to safety and call 911, then call Peoples Gas at 877-832-6747. Learn more at PeoplesGas.com/Safety.
- Avoid scams. Scammers know we’re distracted by a storm. Scammers can easily create new domains and use other tactics, like spoofing our phone number and posing as one of our TECO team members. Visit TampaElectric.com/Scam to learn more and report a scam.
Priority Outage Restoration
Here’s the restoration process we follow if a storm causes multiple outages.
- Electric service is restored to critical services facilities first – hospitals, disaster centers and main police and fire stations. This enables these places to help with other storm-related problems or injuries.
- Water and sewer installations are next.
- After that, we focus on communication service providers and facilities providing important public services such as supermarkets, home improvement/building supply centers, insurance facilities, etc.
- Then we repair electrical circuits that provide power to the largest group of customers, followed by the remainder of the circuits until the power is back on for all our customers.
As repairs are completed, some customers may receive power while others may still be out of service. Sometimes, different customers have different service lines, even within the same neighborhood. If you are on the same service line as your neighbor, you may also have damage to your meter that is interrupting electric service to your home.
How to Report a Power Outage
- Ensure you are registered at TECOaccount.com and we have your updated contact information. That way our outage reporting system can immediately recognize your number when you call or text.
- While our new smart meters will likely recognize your outage automatically, you can also report your outage via any of these convenient ways:
- Log in to , and report your outage with one click.
- Report your outage online at TampaElectric.com/Outage using your phone number or account number.
- *Text OUT to 27079.
- Call 877-588-1010.
*For new registrations, please have your 12-digit account number and 5-digit zip code available.
Stay Safe
- As always, our top priority is the safety of customers and employees. For tips, visit TampaElectric.com/StormSafety.
- Get important storm safety tips and updates. Follow us on our social channels listed at TampaElectric.com/Social.
We’re committed to helping you stay safe and quickly restore service.
