Tampa Electric is committed to delivering reliable, always-on electric service. Unfortunately, many factors contribute to power outages, including storms, animals, vegetation and severe weather. To ensure we restore your service as quickly as possible, we prepare and train year-round by developing and completing mock storm drills and power restoration scenarios, testing emergency response plans, making investments in smart technology and hardening our system through our Storm Protection Plan. Our proactive approach ensures we continue delivering 99.98% service reliability in blue skies and gray by reducing storm damage, power outage durations and restoration costs.
During severe weather, when unpredictable safety hazards pose a risk to you and our crew members, safety is our top priority. That’s why conditions must be safe before our crews can restore power. To learn more about severe weather safety, visit our Storm Safety page.
Whenever power is interrupted, we take a priority restoration approach so our community can recover quickly. First, we ensure our power plants and transmission lines are in proper working order. Next, we restore power to essential services like hospitals, police and fire stations. Then, we focus on public services such as communication providers, supermarkets and home/building supply centers. After that, we restore power to the largest groups of customers in the shortest amount of time until every home and business has their power restored.
Power restoration process
Our priority restoration plan helps restore power as safely and quickly as possible.
First, we ensure our power plants and substations are in safe working order.
First, we ensure our power plants and substations are in safe working order.
Then, electric service is restored to critical service facilities – hospitals, disaster centers and main police and fire stations. This enables emergency services to help with other storm-related problems or injuries.
Then, electric service is restored to critical service facilities – hospitals, disaster centers and main police and fire stations. This enables emergency services to help with other storm-related problems or injuries.
Next, we focus on communication service providers and facilities providing important public services, such as supermarkets, home improvement/building supply centers, insurance facilities and others.
Next, we focus on communication service providers and facilities providing important public services, such as supermarkets, home improvement/building supply centers, insurance facilities and others.
After that, we repair electrical circuits that provide power to the largest groups of customers in the shortest amount of time until power is restored to all our customers.
After that, we repair electrical circuits that provide power to the largest groups of customers in the shortest amount of time until power is restored to all our customers.
During power restorations, we serve all customers equally. However, due to storm and infrastructure damage, it is possible for your neighbors' power to come back on while yours is still out. There are many reasons this can happen.
- Restoration crews may have to make repairs at multiple locations along a single electric service line.
- Customers in the same neighborhood can be on different service lines that have not been repaired yet.
- Damage to your electrical equipment or meter may prohibit power restoration to your home.
Regardless of the situation, we will not stop working until everyone's power has been restored.
Watch this short video for detailed information about our power restoration process.
Experiencing a power outage?
To report it and get updates about the status of your electric service:
- Sign up for outage notifications. You can receive texts*, emails, and/or phone calls regarding your service and other important information.
- Text OUT to 27079 to report an outage. Text UPDATE or STATUS for updates on your reported outage.
- Visit our outage map to report and track outages in your neighborhood. You can learn the cause and restoration status in addition to the number of customers affected and the estimated restoration time.
*Message and data rates may apply. If the number you text from is not recognized, you will need to register to report outages and get updates. For new registrations, please have your 12-digit account number and zip code available.
