The causes of power outages are endless. However, the most common causes are things we see almost every day, like high winds, lightning, trees and animals that come into contact with power lines, automobile accidents that damage Tampa Electric equipment and more. Visit our Power Outages page and click on the outage brochure to learn more about the different types of outages.
You Receive 99.9% Reliability
It’s true. On average, Tampa Electric customers have power at the switch 99.9% of the time. Summer storms and other events will cause this percentage to drop temporarily, but on average, Tampa Electric provides its more than 687,000 customers across West Central Florida with reliable service.
Reporting an Outage
You have three ways to contact us if your power goes out:
• Call toll-free 1-877-588-1010
• Report your outage online at tampaelectric.com/outages
• Text OUT to 35069
Get Power Updates
Tampa Electric’s Power Updates will keep you informed about your electric service. When you sign up at tampaelectric.com/powerupdates, you can let us know how you’d like us to contact you. You can receive texts, emails, and/or phone calls regarding your service and other important information.
How Tampa Electric Responds
Once Tampa Electric is made aware of an outage, a first-responding team member is dispatched to investigate. The team member will arrive on the scene in a white bucket truck bearing the Tampa Electric logo. In most cases, the first-responding team member is able to identify the problem and restore power.
However, there are times when additional Tampa Electric crews are required to make the necessary repairs. Like the first-responding team member, the additional crews will arrive in white bucket trucks and bring any additional equipment required to restore power as quickly and safely as possible.
Monitor and Track Outages
Visit our Outage Map at tampaelectric.com/outages for real-time information about power outages, including the cause, restoration status and the number of customers affected.
Some common questions
Why do some outages take longer to restore than others?
Most outages can be repaired quickly by the first-responding team member Tampa Electric dispatches to investigate an outage. If the team member finds damage to Tampa Electric equipment that is sometimes caused by lightning, automobile accidents and other uncontrollable events, the team member will request additional crews to respond with any necessary equipment and tools required to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. Visit tampaelectric.com/outages to learn more.
Why do I sometimes see a group of Tampa Electric crews standing near their trucks, but my power is not restored?
Restoring power is dangerous work. You may see crews gather at any one location to discuss any number of issues, including the cause of an outage and the tools and resources required to make repairs as quickly and safely and possible.
Why does my neighbor have power, but I don’t?
There are a number of reasons why this might happen. Your house and your neighbor’s house might receive power from two separate transformers or even separate substations. It’s not uncommon for a problem to occur at the connection to your house. It’s important to know that Tampa Electric might not be aware that your power is out. Call 1-877-588-1010 or report your outage online at tampaelectric.com/outages.
Why does your outage map show that power is restored in my area, but I’m still out?
Did you report your outage? If the problem occurs at the connection to your house, Tampa Electric might not be aware that your power is out. Call 1-877-588-1010 or report your outage online at tampaelectric.com/outages. If you reported your outage, Tampa Electric is in the process of dispatching a first-responding team member to investigate. Please know our Outage Map updates automatically every 10 minutes.
Why is the restoration time on the outage map different than the outage restoration time I was provided by the customer service representative?
A change in restoration time can occur when our crews discover that additional equipment or other resources are necessary to make a repair. When this happens, a new restoration time is manually entered into our systems. There is a short period of time during this manual update that can result in the representative having a different restoration time than what appears on the outage map.
Why do the crews leave their trucks idling while making repairs?
Idling is required to power the bucket, provide air conditioning/heating and operate electronic equipment our crews need to communicate with other crews. Tampa Electric recently purchased 21 trouble trucks that are equipped with a large rechargeable battery that allows our crews to turn off the engine. The battery pack powers the bucket, air conditioning/heating and other equipment that’s necessary for our crews to do their work. Visit tampaelectric.com/ev to learn more about Tampa Electric’s growing Green Fleet of vehicles.
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