Health and safety are No. 1 priority; Critical electric and natural gas service will continue
At Tampa Electric and TECO Peoples Gas, the health and safety of customers, employees and the communities we serve is our top priority. The utilities are prepared for the coronavirus pandemic and are taking steps to help customers – and to prevent the virus’ spread as we continue to provide vital energy to the community.
Essential work will continue: For Tampa Electric, power plants, including solar facilities, will continue to generate electricity, and power outages will be restored. For Peoples Gas, natural gas service will continue, and the company will respond 24/7 to gas leak and emergency calls. For both utilities, employees stand ready to serve customers and provide customer support by phone and online.
But a few things will change until further notice:
- Effective immediately, no customer’s service will be disconnected for non-payment, at least through the end of March.
- Employees are reducing direct contact with customers, to allow appropriate social distance.
- They will not participate in large community events.
- Non-essential customer contact will be rescheduled, such as energy audits in customers’ homes and businesses.
- The Manatee Viewing Center closed for the season on Friday, March 13.
“Reducing service to our customers is never easy, but our greater priority is the health and safety of our customers and employees,” said Nancy Tower, president and chief executive officer of Tampa Electric. “Tampa Electric will continue to provide our 780,000 customers with safe, reliable and affordable electricity.”
“As we continue to monitor the situation, it is important for our customers to know that we’re here for them,” said T.J. Szelistowski, president of Peoples Gas. “We will continue to deliver safe, reliable and environmentally friendly natural gas to the more than 200 communities we serve across the state.”
The reduction in face-to-face visits is part of the companies’ comprehensive pandemic plan. The companies will continue to monitor the pandemic and will respond quickly as the situation changes.
Tampa Electric, one of Florida’s largest investor-owned electric utilities, serves about 780,000 customers in West Central Florida. Peoples Gas System, Florida’s largest natural gas distribution utility, serves more than 400,000 customers across Florida. Tampa Electric and Peoples Gas are subsidiaries of Emera Inc., a geographically diverse energy and services company headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
