Potential Targeted Interruptions in Downtown Tampa will Reduce Restoration Time
In advance of Hurricane Ian, Tampa Electric has secured about 3,000 people from a dozen states to help restore power after the storm passes. And in anticipation of potential storm surge, the company is evaluating whether to interrupt service beginning this afternoon to two small portions of downtown Tampa under mandatory evacuation.
More than 3,000 workers, including line crews, tree trimmers and damage assessors, are traveling to Florida to help Tampa Electric restore power after the storm passes. Tampa Electric is a member of the Southeastern Electric Exchange, or SEE, which is a network of utilities that pledges mutual assistance in case of storm or other emergencies.
Crews are traveling from 13 states, including Oklahoma, Texas and Indiana, to help Tampa Electric. Many will begin arriving today in Central Florida, and crews will remain outside of the storm’s path until it is safe to begin working.
“Hurricane Ian has the potential to cause significant destruction, and we are doing everything we can to prepare for a safe restoration,” said Archie Collins, president and chief executive officer of Tampa Electric. “The safety of our customers and employees is our No. 1 priority, and I encourage our customers to prepare for extended power outages. Please stay safe.”
Hurricane Ian is expected to bring strong winds, heavy rain and potential storm surge to Florida’s west coast starting Wednesday. Tampa Electric’s first priority is the safety of customers and employees, and the company urges residents to follow local evacuation orders.
Beginning later today, the company may interrupt electric service to a small area of downtown Tampa. By proactively shutting down certain parts of the network ahead of the storm, Tampa Electric can avoid serious damage to the underground equipment from saltwater storm surge. This will significantly shorten restoration time after the storm. Tampa Electric has communicated with affected customers to minimize the inconvenience. The affected area is under a mandatory evacuation order.
The proactive outage is expected to affect the western edge of downtown, including the Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Holiday Inn (Barrymore Hotel), Barnett Bank (Tampa Bay Times Building), Hillsborough Regional Transit (drawbridge) and the City Hall Annex.
The company is also considering a targeted interruption in the southern tip of downtown Tampa, which includes the residential customers on Harbor Island, two Channelside hotels, the transportation center and Davis Island excluding Tampa General Hospital. This decision could be made as late as Wednesday and will depend on surge conditions.
Tampa Electric encourages all customers to have a personal storm plan in place for their home or business. Visit tampaelectric.com/storm for tips, restoration information and additional guidance. Visit your county’s emergency management website to determine your flood zone, your hurricane evacuation zone, get flood depth data, flood insurance information, or help with property flood protection for residents.
Customers should prepare for extended power outages. Tampa Electric offers customers several ways to report and monitor power outages:
- Log into your online account at tecoaccount.com/ to report the outage with one click. Visit tampaelectric.com/outage and report your outage.
- Text OUT to 27079. Text UPDATE or STATUS for updates on your reported outage.
- Call 1-877-588-1010, Tampa Electric’s dedicated toll-free automated power outage phone system.
- Go to tecoaccount.com/notifications and sign up for free outage notifications by text, email or phone calls.
- Visit our outage map at tampaelectric.com/outagemap to report and track outages. You can also get restoration status.
Tampa Electric also will use Facebook facebook.com/tampaelectric and Twitter @tampaelectric to keep customers informed about outage restoration.
Tampa Electric would like to remind customers to be safe after a storm:
- Remember to keep away from downed power lines and urge others to be extremely cautious.
- Remember to use portable generators safely. Plug your appliances directly into the generator. DO NOT connect your portable generator into your home’s circuits. Connecting your generator to the circuits may cause power to flow to outside lines, posing life-threatening danger to restoration crews.
- Portable generators must not be taken into homes or any enclosed space (like a garage) where deadly carbon monoxide gases could build up.
- Stay out of floodwaters, as they can hide energized power lines or put you at risk of drowning.
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.
