Environmental Care
When it comes to caring for the West Central Florida region, Tampa Electric is a champion for conserving and protecting the environment. Besides our commitment to reducing emissions and increasing solar energy, we oversee and operate remarkable examples of environmental stewardship.
Our visionary Florida Conservation & Technology Center – anchored by our wildly popular Manatee Viewing Center – is a testimony to the power of our community partnerships. And the reclaimed water treatment system at our Polk Power Station has tangible positive effects on our waterways.
From sea turtles to cleaner energy, from manatees to the seagrass they love to eat, we aim to protect the communities we call home.
A Safe Place for Manatees
Our Manatee Viewing Center is a manatee sanctuary, open seasonally and free to the public. It provides a warm home for manatees to thrive each winter and is an important player in local manatee rescues and releases.
Preserving Florida’s Resources
Our Florida Conservation & Technology Center is home to our Manatee Viewing Center and Clean Energy Center. It’s also where our partner environmental champions do vital work – from nursing sea turtles back to health to spawning essential coral.
A Very Cool-ing Story
Our Polk Power Station needs water to cool it – but that’s not always easy to come by. So with community partners, we hatched an award-winning plan that beneficially reuses and treats millions of gallons of water every day, improving water quality and supporting growth of manatees’ favorite snack.
Tips to Stay Comfortable While Using Less Energy
- Service your heating system annually and adjust for maximum efficiency.
- Change filters monthly and make sure they are installed with the directional arrows facing the correct direction. Doing this regularly can cut heating energy use by up to 15%.
- If your home is unoccupied for more than four hours, turn down or turn off the heat.
- Raise your thermostat as low as you comfortably can. When possible, set thermostats to 68 degrees or lower in winter.
- Lower your nighttime thermostat at least 10 degrees for 8 to 10 hours to save 10% to 20% on heating costs.
- Seal and insulate ductwork. Leaky ducts can account for nearly 20% of an air conditioner’s energy use.
- In cool weather, run ceiling fans clockwise in occupied rooms. This brings warm air from the ceiling down to the living space.
- Turn fans off in unoccupied rooms.
- Close fireplace dampers when not in use.
- Ensure windows and doors are properly weather-stripped.
- Open curtains and blinds on sunny days and close them on overcast days to help keep heat in.
Get our top 10 cold-weather energy-saving tips for more ways to save.
Discover More Ways to Save—In 30 Seconds or Less
The Florida Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center at FCTC houses four rehabilitation tanks, a deep-dive foraging pool and a veterinary suite. Visitors can view the tanks and pool from an open-air balcony.
The Florida Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center at FCTC houses four rehabilitation tanks, a deep-dive foraging pool and a veterinary suite. Visitors can view the tanks and pool from an open-air balcony.
Our Manatee Viewing Center is a free, family-friendly attraction that anchors our FCTC campus. The manatee refuge is a “hot spot” for gentle giants seeking warmth in the winter.
Our Manatee Viewing Center is a free, family-friendly attraction that anchors our FCTC campus. The manatee refuge is a “hot spot” for gentle giants seeking warmth in the winter.
Our Clean Energy Center is an open-air pavilion that showcases our latest developments in renewable energy generation, storage and delivery. Interactive games provide learning and fun for the whole family.
Our Clean Energy Center is an open-air pavilion that showcases our latest developments in renewable energy generation, storage and delivery. Interactive games provide learning and fun for the whole family.
The Florida Aquarium’s Coral Conservation and Research Center at FCTC is breeding and rearing endangered coral with the ultimate goal of restoring Florida’s reef tract, North America’s most extensive living coral reef ecosystem.
The Florida Aquarium’s Coral Conservation and Research Center at FCTC is breeding and rearing endangered coral with the ultimate goal of restoring Florida’s reef tract, North America’s most extensive living coral reef ecosystem.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission hosts immersive field trips and family programs during the school year and day camps in the summer. It also operates an indoor fish hatchery and laboratories at FCTC.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission hosts immersive field trips and family programs during the school year and day camps in the summer. It also operates an indoor fish hatchery and laboratories at FCTC.
Check Out Our Related Blogs
Project Plants First Acres of Seagrass Near Manatee Viewing Center
Manatees heading south this winter may find their favorite buffet growing again in the water outside of Tampa Electric’s Big Bend Power Station....
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TECO Helps Students Dive into Ocean Conservation
Local students turned single-use plastics into vibrant coral reefs, jellyfish and even a life-sized shark—all while learning about marine conservation through our partnership with the Guy Harvey Foundation....
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Injured Osprey in Apollo Beach: TECO Rallies to the Rescue
At first glance, the mother osprey perched in her platform nest in Apollo Beach seemed just fine. With her two adolescent chicks nestled beside her and their father watching nearby, the scene seemed peaceful from afar. But her human neighbors knew better....
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