Tampa Electric is Prepared to Handle Severe Weather from Hurricane Dorian

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    

TAMPA ELECTRIC IS PREPARED TO HANDLE SEVERE WEATHER FROM HURRICANE DORIAN

Tampa, Fla. (Aug. 29, 2019) – Tampa Electric is closely monitoring Hurricane Dorian and is preparing to respond to severe weather that could affect Florida in coming days.

“Tampa Electric has a lot of experience responding to storms, and we are preparing for whatever Hurricane Dorian will bring us,” said Nancy Tower, president and chief executive officer of Tampa Electric. “While the path remains uncertain, we encourage our customers to begin making their own preparations.”

The current forecast predicts Hurricane Dorian will make landfall on Florida’s east coast early Monday and move west across the state.

Tampa Electric customers could see severe weather from the storm, which may result in significant power outages:

• Tampa Electric’s crews are prepared to work around the clock to restore power as quickly and safely as possible.
• With the help of line workers from other utilities, we are working to increase by as much as tenfold the number of crews in the field – plus triple the number of tree trimmers – to help restore power.

Tampa Electric’s comprehensive storm plan includes a prioritized power-restoration strategy to help the community return to normal as safely and as fast as possible. First, we restore power to critical facilities, such as hospitals, police and fire stations, which are vital to the community. Then we make sure water and sewer facilities are restored, along with schools and grocery stores. Then we repair electrical circuits that provide power to the largest group of customers in the shortest amount of time. We work around the clock until the power is back on for all our customers.

Customers can monitor and track outages in their neighborhoods through the outage map at tampaelectric.com/outagemap. The map displays the cause, status and estimated restoration time. Tampa Electric also will use Twitter @tampaelectric to keep customers informed about outage restoration.

Tampa Electric offers customers several ways to report power outages:

• The fastest, easiest way to report an outage is to visit tecoaccount.com/outage. Make sure your email address and phone number are up to date for easier outage reporting.
• Also, enroll in Power Updates from tecoaccount.com to text outage reports or get service updates via text, phone or email.
• Residential and commercial customers may call Tampa Electric’s dedicated toll-free automated power outage phone system at 1-877-588-1010 to report a power outage or electric emergency.

The company also recommends that customers have a storm plan in place for their homes or businesses. It’s important to prepare now for severe weather during a storm:

• Keep basic items handy such as water, ready-to-eat food, first aid supplies, clothing, extra prescription medicines and cash (banks and ATMs may be closed during the storm).
• Carry a Photo ID on you in case of evacuation.
• Stock up on batteries, and keep flashlights and radios ready.

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 about 765,000 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.

Media Contact:   Cherie Jacobs 813.228.4945

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