To report a power outage please call toll-free 1-877-588-1010.
You may experience one of two types of outages – a power outage or a momentary interruption. Both are completely uncontrollable and caused by many circumstances including storms, falling trees or tree limbs and lightning.
Power outage
A power outage, lasting one minute or longer, usually happens when a problem occurs somewhere along the electric distribution system – this can be any place between the power plant and your home or business. When a power outage occurs, Tampa Electric will respond to the outage and make any repairs necessary to restore power. If you notice damage to your meter or related equipment, please view this illustration to determine who is responsible for repairs.
Momentary interruption
A momentary interruption typically lasts less than a second and is usually caused by a short circuit. Short circuits happen when something comes in contact with power lines, such as an animal or tree, or when power lines come in contact with each other. When this happens, a “breaker” automatically de-energizes the circuit and causes an interruption to your service. Special electrical equipment is designed to quickly open and close the breaker two or three times automatically – in separate attempts – to clear the problem. When this occurs, you might experience a momentary interruption each time. In most cases, short circuits clear themselves and a power outage is avoided. If the problem persists however, Tampa Electric will respond to the outage and make any repairs necessary to restore power.
It’s important to understand that a momentary interruption lasting less than one second is the result of a “safety device” designed to automatically open the circuit to prevent damage that can lead to an extended outage. During Florida’s hurricane season, outages may increase due to high winds and lightning. To keep outages to a minimum, Tampa Electric inspects and clears away trees and limbs from power lines. In addition, Tampa Electric works with environmental experts to protect birds and other animals by researching new ways to prevent them from coming into contact with power lines.
Prepare your home for power restoration
Customers should make sure their homes are ready to safely receive electricity once power has been restored. Make sure there are no flammable items on the stove, no irons left on or other potentially dangerous situations. Turn off as many appliances as possible that require electricity and turn them on one by one after power is restored. This causes less stress to the power system and ensures that all customers get restored without unnecessary delays. Customers may want to leave their front porch light on so they will know when power is restored. When in doubt, or when leaving the home for an extended period, customers should switch off their power at the main breaker.
Outage map
Providing reliable power is a priority for Tampa Electric. However, sometimes there are circumstances beyond our control when you will lose power. Our outage map can help you monitor and track outages.
Update your information
To fully utilize our automated system, please update your primary and alternate phone numbers. The system can recognize your phone numbers and account number and match them to your residential or business address when you call, helping us locate outages and problems quickly. If you have not updated your phone numbers when you call the system, you will need to enter your account number for the system to recognize your address.
Download and print this handy reminder card in English or Spanish and keep it in a convenient location.
