Four new Tampa Electric solar plants began producing electricity from the sun recently, completing the next phase of the company’s significant solar expansion.
“Thanks to our strategic investment in solar power, Tampa Electric customers are expected to save about $100 million in fuel costs this year alone,” said Archie Collins, president and chief executive officer of Tampa Electric. “At a time when fuel costs are escalating, we know how important these savings are for customers.”
After completing the first 600 megawatts (MW) of solar power in February 2020, Tampa Electric committed to double its investment in solar. This wave of 235 MW includes four new solar projects — Magnolia Solar and Big Bend Solar II, both in Hillsborough County, Mountain View Solar in Pasco County, and Jamison Solar in Polk County. Tampa Electric’s solar projects can now produce 893 MW, enough to power more than 140,000 homes.
The company currently has another 200 MW of solar under construction at four more sites, so by the end of this year, Tampa Electric will have more than 1,000 MW of solar. Three other projects will be complete at the end of 2023, when Tampa Electric will have 1,255 MW, or enough solar energy to power 200,000 homes, reducing carbon emissions by 1.8 million tons.
When those projects are complete, Tampa Electric will have about 14 percent of its energy generated from the sun – the highest percentage of solar generation of any utility in the state.
Tampa Electric, one of Florida’s largest investor-owned electric utilities, serves more than 800,000 customers in West Central Florida. Tampa Electric is a subsidiary of Emera Inc., a geographically diverse energy and services company headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
