As the sounds of chainsaws and generators fade and roadside debris piles diminish, the task of evaluating the power restoration response to the major storms that recently impacted the Tampa Bay area is underway for Tampa Electric (TECO).
The utility provides electricity to more than 840,000 customers in the Tampa Bay region, and about 600,000 of them lost power during Hurricane Milton.
More than 3 million electrical utility customers throughout Florida lost power because of damage from Hurricane Milton as it slammed into the state’s west coast near Sarasota. Milton was measured as a at landfall and was at Category 1 intensity as it traveled south of Brandon on a northeasterly path to the Atlantic Ocean.
Energy officials said power outages resulting from the hurricane’s passage through West Central Florida were mostly from windblown trees and other debris damaging transmission lines and flooding that impacted neighborhood power infrastructure like transformers and substations.
“Hurricane Milton was the most powerful storm to hit this region in 100 years,” Cherie Jacobs, a TECO spokesperson, wrote in an email. “With the help of 6,000 utility workers, we worked tirelessly to address the severe damage. The dense tree canopy in the Tampa Bay area contributed to power outages, as thousands of large oaks fell, taking poles and wires down with them.”
Jacobs also acknowledged TECO’s customers for their part in the power recovery process.
“We appreciate our customers’ patience as we restored everyone’s power.”
Utility workers were brought to Florida from across the country and even Canada to deal with the disruption and damage to the region’s power grid.
According to Jacobs, a post-storm review is part of the utility’s preparations for future disasters.
“We learn things from every storm. We are evaluating Hurricanes Helene and Milton to see what we can improve to better respond to future storms,” Jacobs said.
One way TECO is preparing for future storms is by partnering with Hillsborough Community College to develop a local electrical utility line workforce through a four-month training program. Students learn about electrical line operations and safety and can accrue a variety of industry certifications. Those who successfully complete the program can interview for jobs with TECO and be in a position to serve the local community the next time severe weather hits the area.
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