Tampa Electric Sending Crews to Carolinas to Help Restore Power

TAMPA, Florida, Sept. 11 -- Tampa Electric issued the following news release:

Tampa Electric is sending about 250 people to the Carolinas today to help Duke Energy restore power after Hurricane Florence batters the East Coast later this week.

About 250 Tampa Electric line workers and contractors left this morning for the two-day drive. They will help Duke Energy to restore power as soon as it is safe to do so. Their final destination has not yet been determined, and the crews are prepared to stay for two weeks.

Hurricane Florence has intensified rapidly and is expected to hit the East Coast on Thursday or Friday, with high winds, storm surge and massive rainfall. Power outages and flooding are expected across the region.

Tampa Electric is a member of the Southeastern Electric Exchange, or SEE, which is a network of utilities who pledge mutual assistance in case of a storm or other emergency. Crews supporting the restoration efforts of other utilities are paid by the host utility.

Tampa Electric, one of Florida's largest investor-owned electric utilities, serves about 750,000 customers in West Central Florida. Tampa Electric is a subsidiary of Emera Inc., a geographically diverse energy and services company headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.