Ryan Nicol
Tampa Electric (TECO) saw nearly 250,000 customers lose power at various points due to Helene, but the vast majority of those have already had their power restored as of late Friday, just one day after the storm made landfall.
TECO reports that 96% of customers overall have power following the storm. Of those customers who specifically lost power, around 86% have had it restored already.
That leaves around 35,000 customers without service, “primarily due to wind damage from trees contacting overhead lines or storm surge damage,” the company said in a news release.
“Severe flooding continues to make it difficult for our utility teams to safely reach certain areas to complete repairs, which will lead to some extended outages.”
But of the customers who can safely receive power, that work is expected to be completed by Saturday evening, a quick turnaround considering the damage Helene brought to the Tampa-St. Pete region. More than a million Floridians across the state were without power at some point, with more than 500,000 still waiting for service as of Saturday morning.
“The crews worked incredibly hard since Hurricane Helene came through this area,” said TECO President and CEO Archie Collins. “With the support of utility workers from other states — and working closely with our community partners — this has been a safe and speedy restoration. We deeply appreciate the patience and understanding of our customers as we work around the clock to get power restored to everyone.”
The excessive flooding is causing particular delays for workers.
“Tampa Electric reminds customers whose homes have suffered flood damage that their homes must be inspected by a building official before crews can restore electricity,” read a statement from the company. “Some customers with more complex damage may take additional time to restore.”
TECO also reminds customers not to turn on breakers until they are fully dry and undamaged, and never touch a breaker while standing in water. Individuals should also stay away from downed power lines, and should call 911 if they smell gas. And of course, make sure your portable generators are running outside to avoid potentially fatal carbon monoxide buildup.
