Linemen to help Gulf Power and city of Tallahassee restore electricity after Hurricane Michael
Tampa Electric is sending about 285 people to the Panhandle on Thursday to help Gulf Power and the city of Tallahassee restore power after Hurricane Michael battered the region.
About 285 Tampa Electric line workers and contractors will leave at dawn Thursday for the half-day drive – some headed to Tallahassee and the rest to Panama City. They will help restore power as soon as it is safe to do so. Crews are prepared to stay for two weeks.
Hurricane Michael made landfall in the Panhandle early this afternoon as a Category 4 storm, with high winds and storm surge. Power outages and flooding are expected across the region.
Tampa Electric is a member of the Southeastern Electric Exchange, or SEE, which is a network of utilities who pledge mutual assistance in case of a storm or other emergency. Crews supporting the restoration efforts of other utilities are paid by the host utility.
Tampa Electric, one of Florida's largest investor-owned electric utilities, serves about 750,000 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.
