Hurricane season is upon us, and you may have heard experts forecast an unusually active year. For many Floridians, the six-month period from June 1 through Nov. 30 carries at least a touch of dread. Fears can be eased by preparing in advance. And that is exactly what Tampa Electric does – all year long, in fact – to address that lurking power outage concern that is strong here in Tampa Bay. That’s how Tampa Electric provides 99.98% service reliability in blue skies and gray.
Tampa Electric’s system serves about 840,000 customers, including 85,000 businesses across 2,000 square miles of west central Florida. And the 125-year-old company knows dependable energy is not just a convenience; it’s a lifeline. From powering hospitals and other essential services to fueling homes and businesses, a continuous source of electricity is more important than ever. Tampa Electric takes its responsibility to provide reliable power seriously, and it accomplishes reliability goals through careful planning, smart investments and safe, committed execution.
Strategic investments keep the power on
Tampa Electric’s strategic investments help reduce the impact of power outages - and restoration time. Since 2018, those investments have reduced the number of power outages by more than 30 percent and shortened their duration by 40 percent.
The company’s Storm Protection Plan (SPP) represents an annual investment of about $150 million to strengthen the system against extreme weather events, such as hurricanes. About half of Tampa Electric’s 12,000 miles of power lines are underground where they are safer from storm impacts, and the SPP program has converted 240 miles to underground since 2021. In 2023, tens-of-thousands of wooden power poles were inspected, and about 1,600 were strengthened and replaced with steel and concrete through SPP. In addition, hundreds of transmission structures were also strengthened, and more than 2,000 miles of overhead lines were cleared of vegetation that could cause outages. The company is also making substations more resilient by raising equipment and building flood walls in flood-prone areas.
Tampa Electric continues to install "self-healing" technology – a solution that automatically isolates outages and routes power around the problem without sending a worker into the field. This minimizes the number of customers affected by an outage, shortens restoration time and supports employee safety. Where the technology has been installed, customers have seen more than 50 percent reduction in outages and momentary flickers.
Automatic circuit reclosers installed on power poles across the Tampa Electric’s service area help to prevent widespread power interruptions when power lines are affected by issues like lightning strikes, surges and objects making contact. This is one of many technologies the company invests in to keep the power on when the going gets tough.
Demonstrating value and leadership through storm readiness
Tampa Electric’s strategic investments are bringing value to customers. During Hurricane Ian, none of the company’s storm-strengthened assets experienced any issues. Outside of Hurricane Ian, Tampa Electric customers saw fewer repeat power outages in 2023 – and they were shorter than the previous year.
In addition, in December 2023, the National Weather Service (NWS) recognized Tampa Electric as a Storm Ready Community, making Tampa Electric the first Florida electric utility to receive the prestigious national designation. The recognition is based on the utility’s year-round training, written plans, weather monitoring, facilities and communication.
Reliability beyond the storm
Florida’s economy is booming. And Tampa Electric is continually preparing to keep pace with climbing energy demand created by a rising population and its homes, businesses and vehicles. The company is also preparing for evolving risks like cyberattacks by improving the safety and security of critical company facilities. While preparing for the future, Tampa Electric remains focused on long-term affordability by maintaining close control of costs while making sound decisions to meet customers’ expectations.
Visit TampaElectric.com/Reliability for more on how Tampa Electric achieves 99.98% service reliability in blue skies and gray.