TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Tampa Electric said it may shut down power to the southern tip of the downtown Tampa area early Wednesday to help reduce restoration time.
TECO said it is prepared to respond to severe weather that is expected to affect Florida in the coming days. The company said that preparations may include interrupting service to a small portion of the evacuated Zone A in Tampa on Wednesday.
The company said it can avoid serious damage to the underground equipment from saltwater surge by proactively shutting down certain parts of the network ahead of Hurricane Ian.
The affected area is under a mandatory evacuation order. TECO officials said the outage is expected to affect Harbor Island, two Channelside hotels, the transportation center and most of Davis Island. It will not affect Tampa General Hospital.
“The safety of our customers and our equipment is our top priority, and if you live in an evacuated zone, I urge you to take immediate action,” said Archie Collins, president and chief executive officer of Tampa Electric. “Hurricane Ian is a large and unpredictable storm. While the path remains uncertain, we anticipate significant storm surge, and I encourage our customers to prepare for extended power outages.”
TECO said its first priority is the safety of customers and employees, and the company urges residents to follow local evacuation orders.
TECO said customers should prepare for extended power outages.
You can report a power outage by clicking here. You can also text OUT to 27079 or call 877-588-1010.
Click here to view Tampa Electric’s outage map.
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