Peter Schorsch
Tampa Electric announced Tuesday that Archie Collins has been selected to be the next CEO, filling the shoes of Nancy Tower, who announced last year her plans to retire.
Collins has served as the Chief Operating Officer at Tampa Electric for the last two years.
“I am proud to become the next President and CEO of Tampa Electric,” said Collins. “It is a privilege to be chosen to lead this team, and to help shape a future for Tampa Electric that is cleaner, greener and focused on serving our customers.”
Collins is a solid choice for the Tampa utility given the progress and advancements it has made to increase sustainability and strengthen reliability during his tenure there.
In the last two years, Tampa Electric has grown to be the No. 1 solar power producer per customer in all of Florida. Last month, Tampa Electric announced a new goal to double the number of homes it powers through solar energy to 200,000 by 2023. The company also announced plans to retire another coal unit, Big Bend Unit 3, nearly two decades early. These sustainability achievements were the most recent milestones in the company’s strategy to reduce its carbon footprint.
When it comes to reliability, Tampa Electric leads the pack with 99.9% reliability and the fewest interruptions of Florida’s investor-owned utilities for the past five years. The utility has reduced momentary power outages or flickers, by installing reclosers. And it is building a modern grid that provides advanced communication and control capabilities.
Collins has more than 30 years of experience in the energy industry, holding increasingly senior roles within Emera. As COO of Tampa Electric, he was responsible for ensuring access and reliability for the 780,000 customers powered by the utility. He oversaw energy supply, energy delivery and customer experience.
“Archie Collins is a proven energy leader with deep operational experience who has been playing a key leadership role at Tampa Electric since 2018,” said Scott Balfour, President and CEO of Emera Inc. “He is the right leader to maintain momentum at Tampa Electric as the team continues its focus on delivering value for customers, reducing carbon emissions, and driving growth at the utility, all while cultivating a strong safety culture and a diverse and inclusive team.”
Collins assumes the role of President and COO immediately. In May, when Tower retires, he will transition to President and CEO.
